Updated guidelines for arrivals from high-risk countries

Updated guidelines for travellers were issued on Tuesday afternoon by the Health Ministry, which bumped the UK from a Category 2 high-risk country to Category 3, reportedly due to fears of massive economic implications.

The updated guidelines require people who have within the past 14 days arrived on the island from Category 1 countries, including China’s Hubei, Italy, Iran, and the Republic of Korea to remain in mandatory quarantine in their homes or in areas of the Health Ministry.

Those who have recently travelled to Category 2 countries (other areas of China except Hubei, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Spain, and the Greek prefectures of Achaia, Elis, and Zakynthos) are required to remain in self-isolation in their homes with their symptoms to be monitored via telephone. Arrivals from Category 2 countries may also be placed in isolation in Health Ministry areas, and are advised to avoid close contact and movement.

Those who in the last two weeks have arrived from Category 3 countries (the rest of Greece, the UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, and Singapore), are advised to undergo self-monitoring, while following basic hygiene rules and limiting their movements, and to report any symptoms that may appear by calling 1420.

The Health Ministry said that all passengers arriving from Category 1 and 2 countries will be checked by hospital medical staff, while those arriving from these countries at ports will be isolated in their cabins.

According to reports by local media, the decision to move the UK and Greece (expect the prefectures of Achaia, Elis, and Zakynthos) from Category 2 down to the lower category, came as a result of fears of the economic repercussions of requiring all arrivals from these countries to remain in self-isolation for 14 days.