Quarantined students in north put foot down

Turkish Cypriot students who flew to the north on a charter flight were up in arms over quarantine accommodations, while both sides of the island were having a hard time convincing people to comply with quarantine rules.

According to Turkish Cypriot media, some 150 students who flew on a charter from London to Ercan refused to stay at their assigned student dormitory quarantine facility on Friday, citing “filthy conditions” inside and outside the building.

Local media said the students complained of filthy showers, unclean public areas, while garbage bags had been left at the entrance of the building.

Officials rushed to the facility in order to reason with the students, who not only remained adamant about their refusal to stay but some of their relatives also showed up for support, criticizing the administration of not being prepared.

Police officers did not allow physical contact between students and their parents, according to the local media, while officials later told the students they would be transferred to a hotel.

In the north, reports said people who violate their quarantine would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, including those who did not stay home in the case of self-isolation.

In the south, soldiers were called in to enforce quarantines at a number of hotels where repatriated citizens would spend the next couple of weeks.

Nearly a dozen hotels came to an agreement with the government in the south to host repatriated persons for a period of two weeks, offering a total of 2500 rooms.

The agreement took place after an initial group of passengers flew to Larnaca International Airpor but made headlines over initial treatment and quarantine conditions in cottages high up in the mountains.

There were also reports that people were assigned with strangers in the same room and others walking outside in groups while not permitted under the quarantine rules. The government quickly stepped in and made alterative arrangements with a number of hotels, assigning one quarantined traveler per room.

Inbound passenger flights are currently banned while exceptions were granted in order to fly as many Cypriots back to the island.