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Epidemiological risk assessment of countries
concerning COVID-19, dated 14/06/2021
Following a decision of the Council of Ministers, on 18 February 2021, regarding the Action Plan for
the gradual resumption of flights and the re-opening of airports, the Epidemiological Monitoring Unit
of the Ministry of Health has made a re-evaluation of the epidemiological situation in various
countries as regards COVID-19.
The categorization for the countries of the European Union and the European Economic Area
(Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) as well as Switzerland, in the Green, Orange or Red Categories,
is based upon that of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
With regard to third countries (United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon, United Arab
Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Belarus, Qatar, Serbia, United States of America, Armenia,
Georgia, Bahrein), in addition to Kuwait and Canada as of 1/6/21, as well as those countries
included in the updated list of the European Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/89 for the gradual
lifting of temporary restrictions for non-essential travel within the EU, these are evaluated
epidemiologically by the Ministry of Health and are categorized into the Green, Orange and Red
categories.
14-06-2021 09:24
The following categorization of countries, based on the epidemiological risk assessment, is
extremely dynamic and may be modified at any moment as the pandemic evolves and the
epidemiological data changes. For this reason, new data will be announced and the list of countries
will be updated frequently.
Green Category countries – Low risk countries at current stage
European Union member states: 1) Malta, 2) Poland, 3) Romania
Schengen members: 1) Iceland
Third countries: 1) Australia, 2) New Zealand, 3) Singapore, 4) Saudi Arabia, 5) South Korea,
6) Israel
It is noted that passengers coming from the Green Category countries are not required to
hold a COVID-19 test certificate or self-isolate.
Orange Category countries - Countries with possibly low risk but greater uncertainty
compared to the Green Category
European Union member states: 1) Portugal, 2) Ireland, 3) Finland, 4) Austria, 5) Bulgaria, 6)
Czech Republic, 7) Hungary, 8) Italy, 9) Germany, 10) Slovakia, 11) Luxembourg
Schengen members: 1) Norway
Third countries: 1) China (including Hong Kong and Macau), 2) United Kingdom, 3) United
States of America, 4) Japan
It is noted that passengers coming from Orange Category countries shall be required to undergo
a PCR laboratory test within 72 hours prior to departure and to possess a certificate
showing a negative PCR result.
It is also clarified that passengers from Orange Category countries, falling into the following
categories, may undergo the molecular examination upon arrival in the Republic:
1. Cypriot citizens and family members (alien spouses and their underage children),
2. Persons legally residing in the Republic,
3. Persons entitled to enter the Republic under the Vienna Convention, and
4. Persons, irrespective of nationality, whose countries of residence (Orange category) do not
provide a laboratory testing service, upon substantiation and following an announcement by the
Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus.
It is noted that the examination cost will be borne by themselves and in addition, such persons
shall remain in self-isolation until the test result is issued.
Red Category countries – Increased risk countries compared to the Green and Orange
Categories:
European Union member states: 1) Belgium, 2) France, 3) Spain, 4) Greece, 5) Netherlands,
6) Denmark, 7) Slovenia, 8) Estonia, 9) Latvia, 10) Lithuania, 11) Sweden, 12) Croatia
Small states: 1) Andorra, 2) Monaco, 3) Vatican City, 4) San Marino
Schengen members: 1) Switzerland, 2) Liechtenstein
Thirdcountries: 1) Rwanda, 2) Russia, 3) United Arab Emirates, 4) Ukraine, 5) Jordan, 6)
Lebanon, 7) Egypt, 8) Belarus, 9) Qatar, 10) Serbia, 11) Thailand, 12) Armenia, 13) Georgia,
14) Bahrein, 15) Kuwait, 16) Canada
It is noted that passengers coming from Red Category countries shall be required to: a) undergo a
PCR laboratory test within 72 hours prior to departure proving a negative PCR result and b)
undergo a laboratory test upon their arrival in the Republic of Cyprus.
The examination cost will be borne by themselves and in addition, such persons should
remain in self-isolation until the test result is issued.
The following categories of passengers may enter the Republic of Cyprus from Red Category
countries, after having undergone, at their own expense, a laboratory test only upon their arrival in
the Republic of Cyprus:
1. Cypriot citizens and family members (alien spouses and their underage children),
2. Persons legally residing in the Republic, and
3. Persons entitled to enter the Republic under the Vienna Convention.
In such case, persons falling within the categories 1-3 above must remain in mandatory selfisolation
for 72 hours upon arrival and after the end of the 72-hour period they must undergo
another PCR test, at their own expense. If the repeat test is negative, they can then terminate their
isolation. The test result must be sent to the following email address: monada@mphs.moh.gov.cy.
Grey Category countries (Special Permission):
Countries that are not mentioned in the aforementioned categories (green, orange and red) are
considered to belong in the Grey Category (Special Permission). For the Grey Category countries,
entry into the Republic of Cyprus is only allowed for the following categories of passengers:
1. Cypriot citizens and family members (alien spouses and their underage children),
2. European citizens and citizens of European Economic Area countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein,
Norway) and Switzerland,
3. Persons legally residing in the Republic,
4. Persons entitled to enter the Republic under the Vienna Convention, and
5. Third country nationals who are allowed to enter the Republic of Cyprus following a special
permission from the Republic, as this is defined in the Quarantine Decree (N.9) of 2021, as this is
modified each time.
It is noted that passengers coming from countries of this Category shall be required to undergo a
laboratory test at a certified lab within 72 hours prior to departure for Cyprus and to possess a
certificate showing a negative PCR result. Excluding category number 2 above, the rest of the
passengers may undergo the laboratory test upon their arrival in the Republic of Cyprus, at
their own expense.
Passengers arriving in the Republic of Cyprus from the Grey Category countries (Special
Permission) shall remain in mandatory self-isolation or mandatory quarantine for a period of
fourteen (14) days or alternatively, in mandatory self-isolation or mandatory quarantine for a
period of seven (7) days provided that they undergo another Covid-19 test (at their own
expense) on the 7th day and the result comes back negative. The test result must be sent to the
following email address: monada@mphs.moh.gov.cy.
It is noted that the above categorization of countries shall take effect on 17 June 2021.
Conditions applied to vaccinated passengers
The Ministry of Health clarifies that the following apply, as of 10 May, to vaccinated passengers
arriving in the Republic of Cyprus from its points of entry:
Passengers holding a valid certificate of vaccination against COVID-19 arriving in Cyprus from
abroad, regardless of their nationality and country of departure, shall be exempted from the
obligation of laboratory testing and self-isolation/quarantine, subject to the following conditions:
1) They hold a valid certificate of vaccination issued by the following states:
(i) EU Member States (including Cyprus)
(ii) EEA Member States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway)
(iii) Switzerland
(iv) Israel
(v) United Kingdom
(vi) Russia
(vii) United Arab Emirates
(viii) Saudi Arabia
(ix) Ukraine
(x) Jordan
(xi) Lebanon
(xii) Egypt
(xiii) Belarus
(xiv) Serbia
(xv) Qatar
(xvi) Bahrein
(xvii) United States of America
(xviii) Armenia
(xix) Georgia
(xx) Canada
(xxi) Kuwait
2) They have been vaccinated either with one of the vaccines approved by the European
Medicines Agency (Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Janssen), or with Sputnik V
vaccine, or with Sinopharm (BBIBP COVID-19) as of 21 May, and have completed their
vaccination scheme. It is noted that for vaccines that are administered in two doses, passengers
must have been administered both doses, while for the Janssen vaccine (single dose vaccine) 14
days must have elapsed between the administration of the vaccine and the date of travel. More
information is available on: https://cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/en/vaccinated-passengers.
It is also noted that all passengers, regardless of the country’s category, including those
holding a valid certificate of vaccination, are obliged to apply for the CyprusFlightPass 24 hours
before the departure of their flight. Moreover, for the protection of public health and the
monitoring of the epidemiological situation, passengers of selected flights (including passengers
holding a vaccination certificate) may undergo a random laboratory molecular testing carried out by
the Ministry of Health.
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