Press Releases

Following the opening up of the country’s borders as of June 2020, the epidemiological image of various countries with regard to the COVID-19  disease has been reevaluated and in addition new countries have now been added to the categories below. The evaluation is always based on the epidemiological indicators of the countries, such as: the real reproduction number R(t) for SARS-CoV, the number of new diagnoses, the number of laboratory tests, the mortality rate per 100.000 inhabitants, the estimated prevalence and the impact and classification by the World Health Organization (WHO), as these indicators appear in valid data bases.

It should be noted that the following categorization of countries, based on the epidemiological risk assessment, is extremely dynamic and may be modified at any moment, as the pandemic is evolving and the epidemiological data are changing. For this reason, new data would be announced and the list of countries updated at regular intervals.

Based on the above, the evaluation carried out has categorized the countries as follows:

Category A – Low risk countries at this stage

Included in this category are countries with a real reproduction (Rt) number lower than 1 or/and small number of new diagnoses (<1/100.000 inhabitants per day) or/and small or very small COVID-19 mortality (<5-10/100.000 inhabitants) or/and classification of sporadic cases or clusters of cases according to the WHO or/and at least satisfactory laboratory testing (>3000 tests/100.000 inhabitants).

• Australia
• Austria
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• Germany
• Greece
• Switzerland
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Latvia
• Lichtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Norway
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• South Korea

Category B - Countries with possibly low risk but greater uncertainty compared to Category A

Included in this category are countries with a real reproduction (Rt) number greater than 1 or/and number of new diagnoses <1/100.000 inhabitants per day or/and increased COVID-19 mortality (>10/100.000 inhabitants) or/and limited laboratory testing (<2000 tests/100.000 inhabitants) or lack of WHO classification.

• Belgium
• France
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Lebanon
• Jordan
• Netherlands
• Spain
• Poland
• Romania
• United Arab Emirates

As of 20 June 2020, passengers coming from Category A countries will not be required to present a laboratory test certificate. Passengers coming from Category B countries will be required to have undertaken a laboratory test by a recognized laboratory at least during the last 72 hours prior to departure and to possess a Certificate showing negative PCR of COVID-19. Persons regardless of nationality whereby the authorities of their country of residence (Category B) justifiably and following the announcement by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus, do not provide a service of laboratory testing, shall alternatively have the possibility of carrying out a laboratory test upon their arrival in Cyprus, paying the cost of the laboratory test themselves amounting to 60 euros.

It should be noted that for reasons of ensuring Public Health and keeping an eye on the epidemiological picture, sample laboratory testing will be carried out on the passengers of all arriving flights, with the number of those tested being estimated at 300 persons per day.

( DC )