The first covid-19 case in Cyprus was confirmed March 10, the day we arrived. It was a German tourist, one of 750. There were ultimately 108 cases including four deaths, two German tourists and two resident. The lockdown was very strict. Initially only possible to leave the house in order to go to the grocery store, pharmacy or bank, as well as petrol station or hospital. Furthermore the grocery store, pharmacy or bank were supposed to be the nearest. Anything else, e.g. delivering food to an elderly neighbour required specific police permission. There was a curfew from 8 pm to 6 am. Very exciting when that was relaxed enough to allow going for a walk. But now it is over eight weeks since the last new case and the last patient has been released. Yes, it’s a very small country, but the country is essentially covid-19 free. Tourism will, cautiously, reopen next month amid arrangements for testing, possible quarantine and restrictions on countries of origin. Nobody supposes there will never be another case, but the whole test, trace and isolate procedure is totally possible here.
JAWORSKI TRAVELS