Cyprus beefs up COVID-19 screening for all travelers from UK

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus on Saturday toughened COVID-19 screening for all travelers from the U.K. over age 12, including requiring them to quarantine until results are in from a lab test performed at the airport.

Cyprus’ Health Ministry cited Britain's “drastic increase” in omicron variant cases as the reason for the stepped-up measures, which apply to travelers whether or not they’ve been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19.

Under the new rules, arriving passengers who test positive at Cyprus’ airport must remain in isolation until Health Ministry officials contact them with further instructions.

At the airport, passengers also will receive five rapid test kits that they must use during their stays on the Mediterranean island if their PCR tests are negative.

In case of a positive self-test, they are required to contact a doctor in Cyprus and to undergo another PCR test.

Cyprus has a sizeable British expatriate community, and typically more than half of all tourists arriving to the east Mediterranean island nation are from the U.K.