Press Releases

Further to the recent decision of the Council of Ministers on 3 March 2022, regarding the release of Covid-19 positive cases on day 7, the Ministry of Health informs that as of Tuesday 8 March 2022, virus-positive individuals may be released on day 7, provided that they have a negative rapid antigen test result from predefined points indicated by the Ministry of Health and do not have any active virus symptoms.

The procedure is as follows:

• On the 6^th day of self-isolation, virus-positive cases will be notified by means of a text message of the place and time of sampling, at a predefined location, for a Rapid test on day 7. It is recalled that the date of the laboratory diagnosis of the positive case is considered as day zero (counting begins the next day).

• Due to the retroactive effect of the decision, the first update given on Monday 7 March 2022 concerns individuals who on 8 March 2022 will have completed not only the 7th but also the 8th or 9th day after their initial diagnosis.

• Only laboratory tests carried out at the predefined locations of the Ministry of Health will be recognized as valid for release purposes before day 10. (Individuals who do not follow the above procedure will be able to be released automatically on the basis of the procedure in force on day 10).

• If the result is negative on day 7, the virus positive individual should continue his/her self-isolation until the release message by the Ministry of Health is received, on the basis of which he/she will be released the following day (Day 8) and will be able to issue the certificate of release via the portal https://www.eudcc.gov.cy/ .  

• It is stressed that when carrying out the test for release, the same identification data, which were declared at the time of registration on the platform for positive cases, should be provided (identification document, date of birth and telephone number) in order to avoid technical problems and delays in release. 

• If the result is positive, the individual will be able to repeat the test procedure on day 8 or day 9 by visiting the same location, as was indicated by the Ministry of Health on day 6, or to self-isolate until the 10th day, on which he/she will be released without a further test.

It is stressed that all social distance and protection measures (double surgical mask, or type ΚΝ95 or FFP2 protective mask) must be applied at the testing locations.

(EK/MPO)