Additional Precautionary Decisions taken by the Ministry of Health

Additional Precautionary Decisions taken by the Ministry of Health in respect of the decisions taken by the Infectious Diseases Supreme Committee within the scope of curfew declared by the TRNC Council of Ministers, which met on 31.03.2021, 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 31 March, 2021 and declared a partial curfew from 05.04.2021 at 5:00am to 12.04.2021 at 5:00 am 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 31 March, 2021 and decided to be implemented by the Ministry of Health:

(1) Partial curfew between 10pm and 5am will be in place between 05.04.2021 to 11.04.2021.

(2) Partial curfew will be imposed from 5.00am on 11.04.2021 until 5.00am on 12.04.2021.

(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 (02.04.2021).

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, and agriculture and animal husbandry and related industrial enterprises and activities.

– On Monday-Saturday;

Markets will be open between 07:00 and 21:00.

Retail and merchandising services, restaurants and all services/sectors that are not specified as closed will serve between 10:00 and 21:00.

Places that are closed:

– Cinemas, engagement-wedding halls, birthdays, religious gatherings, casinos, bars, taverns, hookah cafes and halls, all kinds of game halls, indoor children’s play areas, massage parlours, spas, restaurants serving open buffets, night clubs, clubs, Turkish baths, saunas.

Places that are open:

All institutions and organisations will return to their normal working arrangements within the framework of pandemic rules.

All businesses and activities that are not explicitly stated as being closed can be open within the conditions stated below.

There will be no trying on of items in the clothing sector.

Supply chain order taking, shelf and display rearranging can be carried out. It has been decided all operations should be carried out between the hours of 08:00 and 21:00.

In order to ensure social distancing, these businesses should place signs at the entrances of their businesses stating the m2 area and the total number of people, including employees, who can be in the business at any one time, which will allow for more active inspections.

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

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

Businesses will sign a letter of undertaking and legal proceedings will be launched against the relevant institution in the case that the specified rules are not adhered to.

Decisions Taken;

1. It has been decided to remove controlled crossings to the Lefke-Güzelyurt-İskele-Gazimağusa districts.

2. Inter-district and local public transportation can be provided. Passengers will not be allowed next to sit next to the drivers of buses, minibuses, taxis and similar public transport vehicles. In buses, shared taxis and minibuses, passengers will be transported with a seating arrangement that leaves the seat behind the driver’s seat empty, and the operating capacity will be 50% with every other seat empty. Windows will be open during journeys, air conditioning will not be used and everyone in the vehicle will wear a mask.

Vehicles will be disinfected after each journey. In addition, a letter of undertaking will be signed by the business owners of public transport and taxi enterprises engaged in public transportation. If it is determined that the rules specified in the letter of undertaking are not complied with, criminal proceedings will be launched against them in accordance with the relevant legislation.

3. In all establishments and workplaces that are open, it is compulsory to comply with the social distancing rule, to lay markings on the floor in order protect social distance based on square metres, and to implement hygiene and disinfection conditions both inside the workplace and at the entrances and exits. It is the employer’s responsibility to take and implement these precautions.

4. In state and private schools, it has been deemed appropriate that all pre-school, primary and secondary education (except 12th grade) (including after-school lesson centres, private lessons and course activities) will continue online until the next decision. Schools will be screened with antigen tests. In addition, the rules to be applied in schools have been determined.

5. It has been deemed appropriate that people residing in North Cyprus going to South Cyprus for treatment purposes can cross to South Cyprus without quarantine if they present documents of their appointments at the border gates. The patient and their companion (if necessary) who will be crossing for health purposes are required to submit negative PCR test results from within the last 3 days upon arrival. In addition, patients and companions returning to our country after treatment should repeat PCR tests on the seventh and fourteenth days of returning to the country and submit the results to our Ministry.

6. It has been deemed appropriate that people residing in South Cyprus and crossing to North Cyprus for treatment purposes can enter our country without quarantine, provided that they submit negative PCR test results from within the last 3 days and present documents of their appointment at the border gates.

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

8. Ambulances can transit through the Yeşilırmak Border Gate without quarantine for health purposes only. Other persons crossing are subject to quarantine.

9. People living or working in Pile will be able to cross daily without quarantine, provided that they submit a negative PCR test result obtained in the last 7 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 48 hours.

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

11. When diplomats are not with them, diplomatic mission drivers will be able to enter for a maximum of 2 hours for document transportation, route determination and similar jobs, without quarantine provided that they submit a negative PCR test results from the last 7 days.

12. It was decided that funerals can be held with the participation of only first-degree relatives, taking into account the social distancing rule.

13. Those who reside in the North and work in South Cyprus or who work in the North and reside in South Cyprus, will be able to cross daily without quarantine, provided that they submit negative PCR test results from within the last 7 days.

14. Barbers, hairdressers, beauty salons and tattoo studios/salons will continue their work between the hours of 07:00 and 20:00. People working in these sectors will repeat their PCR tests once every fourteen days. In addition, the prepared letter of undertaking forms will be signed and businesses found to have not adhered to the specified rules will be shut down.

15. Considering the quarantine capacity, the Ministry of Finance will, provided that the people coming to our country remain in quarantine, accept passengers on flights to our country with a maximum of 4 flights per day and a maximum of 200 people on each flight; and for sea travel a maximum of 2 ships per day with a maximum of 75 people at a time (excluding soldiers).

16. It has been deemed appropriate for people residing in Beyarmudu to cross daily without quarantine in order to perform their livestock and agriculture activities in the Buffer Zone and the Bases Region.

17. A maximum of one third of the outdoor and indoor areas of restaurants, patisseries, cafes and taverns and takeaway services will continue to be used. However, hookah must not be used in the specified sectors. In addition, a letter of undertaking will be signed by these sectors and if it is determined that the specified rules are not being adhered to, the businesses may be closed.

18. A maximum one-third of the outdoor and indoor areas of coffeehouses, cafeterias, cafeterias and clubhouses will continue to be used. However, games will not be played in the specified sectors (cards, okey, etc.) and hookah, if available, must not be used.

19. Betting shops will be able to continue their activities within the framework of the conditions specified in the prepared letter of undertaking. One third of the closed areas of betting shops will be able to be operated. Food will not be served at betting shops.

20. It has been decided that special education centres will continue their activities. People working in special education centres will repeat their PCR tests once every seven days.

21. It has been deemed appropriate to continue non-contact, individual and outdoor sports activities.

22. Swimming pools can be used by performance swimmers of sports clubs, training licensed swimmers, and by disabled individuals for rehabilitation purposes. However, course activities must not be held in the pools.

23. It has been deemed appropriate that people who have been in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Brazil, Denmark and Africa in the last 14 days are allowed to enter the country provided that they remain in quarantine for 14 days.

24. The transfers of those who reside in our country and want to go abroad via South Cyprus Larnaca Airport, and those want to come to our country via South Cyprus Larnaca Airport, will be carried out by T-permit taxis and touristic minibuses. Drivers who will carry out the said transfers are required to submit negative PCR test results within the last 3 days. These vehicles must return within a maximum of 3 hours from the time they cross through the border checkpoint. While ensuring all necessary hygiene conditions in these vehicles, a maximum of 2 passengers will be able to be transferred in taxis with a “T” permit and a maximum of 4 passengers in vehicles with a touristic minibus permit.

For transfers from South Cyprus to our country, the passengers brought with the knowledge of the border police will be transferred to the designated quarantine hotels after submitting their negative PCR test results obtained within the last three days.

In addition, drivers will sign a letter of undertaking prepared within the scope of the aforementioned rules. If it is determined that the specified rules have not been complied with, then drivers will not be allowed to cross again.

25. It has been deemed appropriate to conduct national/international exams to be held in our country under the conditions stated below:

– Examinees and invigilators must have negative PCR test results from within the last 24 hours,

– Doors and windows must be kept open at all times in order to ventilate the exam area,

– Those entering the exam area must use personal protective equipment during the exam,

– Desks in the exam area must be arranged to comply with social distancing rules

– Disinfectant must be placed at the entrance to the exam area.

26. People who will enter our country for IVF treatment will be taken to a quarantine centre for 10-14 days, depending on their country. People who are planning to go from quarantine hotels to IVF centres for treatment will be taken from the quarantine hotel for 3-4 hours with negative PCR test results from the last 48 hours and then taken back to the quarantine hotel after treatment. The responsibility for the person taken from the quarantine hotel will belong entirely to the Responsible Manager of the IVF Centre.

The letter of undertaking prepared for each person to be taken from the quarantine hotels to the IVF centre will be signed by the Responsible Manager and these forms will be submitted to the Ministry of Health Coordination Board when applying for a treatment permit.

27. Indoor sports halls (fitness) will be able to continue their activities within the framework of the conditions specified in the letter of undertaking. People working in gyms will repeat PCR tests every seven days. Gyms that are found to have not adhered to the rules specified in the letter of undertaking forms can be closed down.

28. It has been deemed appropriate for team sport training to take place indoors without spectators provided that there is not a decision made to the contrary based on case numbers in our country and that PCR tests are carried out every week. The letter of undertaking to be prepared with the relevant federations will be signed.

29. It has been deemed appropriate to not hold protests, rallies and ceremonies in indoor areas. Protests, rallies and ceremonies planned to be held in outdoor areas should be carried out by observing the social distancing rule and wearing masks at all times.

30. In order to start home quarantine it has been recommend to;

-Establish a control and tracking system with wristband

-Increase inspections

-Establish teams for monitoring and inspections

-Enforce penalties within the framework of inspections under the Communicable Diseases Law

– Send people who do not comply with home quarantine to central quarantine and make them pay for their quarantine costs.

31. In order to start 3-night indoor tourism on April 12, 2021, the wristband application and controls must be implemented in our country. In addition, efforts are underway to open the rest of the tourism sector by setting out a timetable.

32. It has been deemed appropriate for professional artists to perform their theatre/concert/exhibition works/rehearsals in accordance with the hygiene rule. Performances will be held with a maximum of one third of the halls’ capacity. Social distancing and mask rules will be observed in the halls. All those who will work in the halls should have negative PCR tests performed within the last 48 hours. The letter of undertaking forms to be prepared for these sectors will be signed. The use of indoor spaces will be valid from April 6, 2021.

33. It was deemed appropriate for lessons provided by music/ballet instructors to start provided that they are one-to-one lessons. Instructors will repeat their PCR tests once every 7 days.

34. It has been deemed appropriate for people working in internet cafes to be screened with PCR tests by April 7, 2021. It has been decided to open internet cafes on 8 April, 2021, provided that there is not a decision made to the contrary by our Committee based on the number of cases in our country.

People who enter internet cafes will be registered and people will be able to use computers for a maximum of 2 hours. The letter of undertaking forms to be prepared with these sectors will be signed and any workplace that is found to have not adhered to the specified rules may be closed down.

35. It has been decided that libraries will be opened as of April 5, 2021. Hand sanitisers will be placed at the entrances and exits of the libraries and will be made available to people entering and exiting. Letter of undertaking forms prepared with the library officers will be signed.

36. It has been deemed appropriate for apprentice students to start their education in the workplace depending on the sectors that have opened. The rules applied in the specified sectors will also apply to apprentice students.