Additional measures taken by the Ministry of Health in line with the decisions of the Infectious Diseases Supreme Committee were announced

Additional Precautionary Decisions taken by the Ministry of Health towards the decisions taken by the Infectious Diseases Supreme Committee within the scope of curfew declared by the TRNC Council of Ministers, which met on 24.03.2021, by using the authority given to it by Article 2 of the Law on Curfew Chapter 156 and the Law on Infectious Diseases no.45/2018

 

The Council of Ministers of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus met on 24 March, 2021 and declared a partial curfew from 29.03.2021 at 5:00am to 05.04.2021 at 5:00am by using the authority given to it by Chapter 156, Article 2 of the Law on Curfew in order to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (Covid-19)

 

1. The Partial Curfew will be implemented within the framework of the following exceptions and additional precautionary decisions taken by the Infectious Diseases Supreme Committee regarding Coronavirus (Covid-19) on 24 March, 2021 and decided to be implemented by the Ministry of Health:

 

(1)   Partial curfew between 9pm and 5am will be in place between 29.03.2021 to 04.04.2021.

 

(2)   Partial curfew will be imposed from 5.00am on 04.04.2021 until 5.00am on 05.04.2021.

 

(3)   Within the framework of the Infectious Diseases Supreme Committee, Private sector employees who work in order to meet basic needs and employees who will perform essential services in for the public (police, fire brigade, municipality, civil defence, healthcare workers, etc.) are exempt from partial curfews, and partial curfew is imposed for other than these persons.

 

2. Criminal proceedings will be made against those who do not comply with this partial curfew within the framework of the legislation in force.

 

3. This Ordinance comes into force as of the date it is published in the Official Gazette.

 

Additional Precautionary Decisions taken by the Ministry of Health are as follows;

 

Based on the previous gradual opening decisions, a reassessment was made by our Committee, and the following decisions were taken and the decisions taken were revised.

 

– All businesses and activities will be closed on Sundays, except for pharmacies, bakeries, petrol stations, agriculture, livestock and related industrial enterprises.

 

– Monday-Saturday: Markets will be open between 08:00 and 21:00. Retail and merchandising services and restaurants and all other sectors which are not specified as closed will provide services between 10:00 and 21:00.

 

Establishments that will remain closed;

 

– Theatres and cinemas, performance centres, engagement-wedding halls, birthday parties, collective religious prayers (Mevlit), casinos, bars, taverns, shisha cafes and halls, internet cafes, all kinds of game halls, indoor children’s playgrounds, massage parlours, spas, open buffet restaurants, night clubs, clubs, Turkish baths and saunas.

 

Establishments that will be open;

 

All businesses and activities that are not stated implicitly may be open under the conditions stated below.

 

There will be no trying on of clothing at stores.

 

Businesses will be allowed to take orders, conduct sales and distribute between 8am and 9pm. Restocking or rearranging shelves or store windows will be carried out after 8pm.

 

Open businesses will make arrangements that will limit the total number of customers and employees. The arrangement must be made so that the total number of customers and employees will be one person per 5 m2.

 

To maintain social distancing, these enterprises will be required to put up informative signs at entrances regarding the total number of customers and employees which can be allowed at any given time. Also, businesses that provide services will work on a rotational basis or with reduced personnel.

 

Regarding the PCR tests; the screening of all institutions / organisations and sectors not specified in the decisions below will be randomly performed by the Ministry of Health.

 

Sectors that are open will be inspected by the associations that they are affiliated with and the District Police Boards

 

Businesses will sign a form of undertaking and legal proceedings will be launched against the relevant institutions if the specified rules are not followed.

 

Decisions adopted;

 

1. Since the prevalence of infection is less in Lefke-Güzelyurt-İskele-Gazimağusa districts and to prevent the spread of infection to these districts, it has been deemed appropriate that the passage from Lefkoşa and Girne districts to the above-mentioned districts are controlled by the District Police Boards. There is no ban on travel between Lefkoşa and Girne Districts.

 

2. Regarding public transport;

 

-Bus services within Lefke and Güzelyurt districts and between the two districts will be allowed to operate.

 

-Bus services within İskele and Gazimağusa and between the two districts will be allowed to operate.

 

-Bus services between Lefkoşa and Girne will not be allowed. Bus services will only be allowed to operate within each district.

 

-Transporting passengers via taxi to other districts (Lefke, Güzelyurt, İskele, Gazimağusa) from Girne or Lefkoşa will be subject to permission. No bus, minibus or shuttle services will be allowed from Girne or Lefkoşa to any of the other districts. No passengers may be seated next to bus drivers. The seat behind the bus driver must be left empty. Buses will only be allowed to operate at 50% capacity. Windows must remain open, and all passengers are required to wear masks during transit. All buses will be disinfected after every tour. All public transport and taxi drivers will be required to sign consent forms. Failure to comply with the rules stated will result in legal prosecution.

 

3. Implementing social distancing rules, providing signs and markings to ensure social distancing as well as applying hygiene and disinfection conditions both inside the workplace and at entrances and exits falls under the responsibility of the employer or business owner.

 

4. There will be no face-to-face or in-class education (except for Grade 12 students) at public or private pre-school, primary and secondary education until April 2, 2021. Schools will continue with online or remote education. Also, Grade 12 students and teachers as well as school staff will be required to undergo rapid tests on March 26, 2021. Grade 12 students will also undergo PCR testing on March 29, 2021.
5. It has been deemed appropriate for people residing in the TRNC but receiving medical treatment in South Cyprus, to cross for daily visits without quarantine as long as they document their appointments at the crossing points. The patient and their attendant (if necessary) will be required to submit a negative PCR test result carried out within the last 72 hours. Also, patients and companions returning to the TRNC following treatment should repeat their PCR tests on the seventh and fourteenth days of their return and submit the results to the Health Ministry.

 

6. It has been deemed appropriate for people residing in South Cyprus but receiving treatment in the TRNC, to cross for daily visits without quarantine as long as they present proof of their appointments and a valid PCR test carried out within the last 72 hours.

 

7. Within the scope of the Green Line Regulation, it has been deemed appropriate for people who do trade in South Cyprus without quarantine daily until 21:00 provided that they submit their official documents regarding trading. Trade persons are required to submit negative PCR tests within the last 7 days.

 

8. It has been deemed appropriate that ambulances can transit through the Yeşilırmak Border Gate without quarantine for health purposes only, and that other crossings are subject to quarantine.

 

9. People living or working in Pile will be able to cross daily without quarantine, provided that they submit negative PCR test results from within the last seven days. In addition, in order to meet the needs of people residing in Pile, it has been deemed appropriate that if the businesses operating in our country request their workers to cross into Pile, employees can make daily crossings if they submit negative PCR test results from within the last 24 hours.

 

10. UN, EU, British Bases Areas, Buffer Zone, Missing Persons and Peacekeeping workers will be able to enter without quarantine, provided that they submit negative PCR test results from within the last 7 days.

 

11. Drivers of diplomatic missions (diplomats excluded) will be required to present a valid PCR test carried out in the last seven days. These individuals will be exempt from quarantine but will only be allowed to cross over for two hours.

 

12. Funerals will be held with the participation of first-degree relatives only.

 

13. Persons residing in the TRNC and working in South Cyprus or vice versa will be able to cross daily without quarantine, provided that they submit a valid PCR test carried out within the last 7 days.

 

14. Barbershops, hairdressers, beauty salons and tattoo studios will continue to operate between 7am and 7pm. Employees in these sectors will be required to repeat PCR tests every 14 days and will sign consent forms. Businesses that breach health protocols will be shut down.

 

15. In light of the country’s quarantine capacity, daily flights to the TRNC have been limited to three per day. Each flight cannot exceed 200 passengers. Ferry services to the TRNC have been limited to two per day with a maximum number of 75 passengers each.

 

16. It has been deemed appropriate for people residing in Beyarmudu to cross daily without quarantine to carry out livestock and agricultural activities in the UN buffer zone and base area.

 

17. Restaurants, patisseries, cafes, eateries and taverns, in addition to take-away and delivery services, will be allowed to continue serving sit-in customers in outdoor seating areas. These establishments will sign consent forms and all venues which break health protocols will be shut. Establishments may be allowed to serve sit-in customers indoors at 1/3 capacity.

 

18. Coffee shops, cafeterias and clubhouses will be allowed to continue operating on the condition they comply with social distancing rules. However, playing table games (cards, backgammon etc) or serving shisha will not be permitted. These establishments will also be allowed to operate indoors as of 24.03.2021 at 1/3 capacity, depending on case numbers.

 

19. Betting offices will be allowed to operate as of 24.03.2021 on the condition that their employees undergo PCR testing before that date. These establishments will only allow customers indoors at 1/3 capacity. Eating and drinking at betting offices is forbidden.

 

20. Special needs education centres will continue to operate. Staff and employees at these education centres will be required to repeat PCR tests every seven days.

 

21. Licensed and professional athletes can carry out non-contact and individual training outdoors.

 

22. Non-contact, individual sporting activities are permitted outdoors.

 

23. Professional and licensed swimmers are permitted to train. However, pools remain closed for classes.

 

24. Individuals with permanent or temporary residency permits who travelled from the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Brazil, Denmark and South Africa in the last 14 days are allowed entry into the country, provided that they remain in state-monitored quarantine for 14 days.

 

25. Individuals residing in the TRNC but who wish to travel abroad via Larnaca Airport in South Cyprus or those wishing to come to the TRNC via Larnaca Airport will be able to do so via T-permit taxis or touristic minibuses. Drivers operating such services are required to present a valid PCR test carried out in the last 72 hours. These vehicles are required to cross back to the TRNC within three hours of their departure through the same crossing point. T-permit taxis may only transport two passengers at a time while touristic shuttle services may transport a maximum of four passengers at a time.

 

Passengers arriving from the south are required to present a valid PCR test carried out in the last 72 hours of their arrival. These passengers will be transported to the quarantine hotel they will be staying in. Drivers will be required to sign consent forms. Drivers flouting the rules will not be allowed to cross again.

 

26. International exams will be carried out under the conditions stated below.

 

-Individuals sitting exams will be required to present a negative PCR test carried out in the last 24 hours.

 

– Windows and doors at exam centres will remain open at all times.

 

– All individuals in the exam room will be required to wear protective gear (visors or face masks).

 

– Sitting arrangements will be done according to social distancing rules.

 

– Exam rooms will be disinfected before the exam.

 

27. Individuals arriving in the TRNC for IVF treatment will be accommodated at quarantine centres between 10-14 days. Individuals will be transported from quarantine hotels to IVF centres for 3-4 hours. These individuals will be required to carry out PCR tests 24 hours before their appointment. IVF centres will be entirely responsible for individuals transported from their quarantine hotel to the facilities and back. IVF centre directors will sign consent forms which will be subject to approval by the Health Ministry Coordination Council.

 

28. Gyms will be allowed to resume operation as of 24.03.2021, on the condition that people working in gyms will repeat PCR tests every seven days. Gym owners will be required to sign consent forms and any establishments which breach health protocols will be shut down.

 

29. Unless a contrary decision is made according to the number of cases in our country, it has been deemed appropriate to train the team sports to be held in closed areas as of April 1, 2021, without spectators, provided that they do weekly PCR tests. The undertaking to be prepared with the relevant federations will be signed.

 

30. Mass rallies, meetings or ceremonies cannot be carried out indoors. All rallies, meetings or gatherings to be carried out outdoors must be carried out under social distancing rules. All demonstrators or participants are required to wear face masks.

 

31. For home isolation (quarantine) to begin;

 

-The health ministry will determine the necessary criteria, will establish an electronic bracelet/monitoring system, will step up controls, will establish a monitoring team, will implement fines or penalties in line with the Law on Infectious Diseases and will move all individuals violating home isolation rules to quarantine centres. These individuals will be forced to pay for their own accommodation.

32. In order to start the 3-day indoor hotel tourism on April 12, 2021, the electronic bracelet/monitoring system will need to be implemented to allow three-day closed-circuit hotel tourism. Work has also been launched to prepare a calendar for other tourism sectors.

 

33. Professional actors or stage performers/artists/musicians are allowed to rehearse individually. Plays/concerts will be allowed to perform online but all performers or actors on stage will be required to provide a negative PCR test in the last 24 hours.

 

34. It was deemed appropriate to start music lessons provided that the music instructors give one-to-one lessons. Instructors will repeat PCR tests every 7 days.