Reduction of new cases to single digits came earlier than expected

Restrictive measures are expected to be phased out gradually, starting in early May, Petros Karayiannis, Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Virology and member of the Ministry of Health Advisory Committee said on Tuesday.
 
Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, Karayiannis said that a stable curve and strict supervision need to precede any easing of restrictions.

Karayiannis suggested that we would need to see a stabilization period of two weeks before any relaxation of measures, some of which may need to be reinstated in the case of a new wave of coronavirus cases.
 
Asked which businesses should open first, Karayiannis said that we should expect businesses vital for the economy to lead the way.

Construction sites could also open early on in the island’s exit roadmap, since the danger of contracting the virus in an open space is limited, he added.

Karayiannis noted that once Cyprus manages stamp out the virus, the outbreak may still relapse once airports reopen.

“We need to learn to live with protection measures in the months to come, for as long as it takes,” the professor went on. “We need to apply social distancing and the daily use of masks, in order to contain the spread of the virus.”

If needed, Karayiannis said, we may need to use protective masks during the summer months, while keeping a two-metre distance from other people is probably here to stay for longer.
 
Karayiannis expressed content that the curve started to flatten much earlier than expected.
 
“Cases dropping to single digits is a very positive development,” he added, warning that the virus hasn’t been completely eliminated yet, urging the public to continue abiding by protective and restriction measures.