Press Releases

In the light of the very good epidemiological picture prevailing in Cyprus lately, the Ministry of Health has updated the Protocol with regard to catering establishments, which comes into effect on 1^st July 2020.

More specifically, the following are modified in the updated Protocol concerning the maximum number of persons that can be served in catering establishments:

- Notwithstanding the fact that the measure of 3 sq. m. social distancing is still in force for indoor spaces and 2 sq. m. for outdoor spaces, the maximum number of persons that can be served may not exceed 100 persons indoors and 200 outdoors, regardless of the square metre area of each establishment.  For example, if a venue has an outdoor area of 600 sq. m. and on the basis of maintaining 2 sq.m. social distancing per person, it could serve up to 300 persons, under the new decision the number of customers cannot exceed 200. If an establishment has an indoor area of 450 sq. m. and on the basis of the social distancing measure of 3 sq. m. per person, it could serve up to 150 persons, under the new decision the number of persons cannot exceed 100.

- The public must be served exclusively at table arrangements. If bars are functioning in the above enterprises, it is prohibited to serve the citizens directly at such bars; the bars can only be used for the preparation of food and drinks by the staff of the premises.

- The above arrangement applies only to the following categories of catering premises, as provided for in the Decree of the Health Minister, dated 5 June 2020:

• Restaurants
• Hotels and tourist accommodation
• Taverns
• Cafeterias
• Pizzerias
• Pubs, snack-bars and bars
• Coffee shops
• Refectories or/and canteens of schools, sports clubs, cultural associations, clubs and societies.

It is stressed that the above arrangements apply only to the catering premises as described above.  In regard to mass gatherings in public places, such as amongst other, weddings, christenings, festivals and any other form of mass gathering, the limit of 75 persons for indoor spaces or 150 persons for outdoor spaces is still in force.

Moreover, it should be remembered that the organizing and holding of music concerts is ONLY allowed in open-air amphitheatres and not in any other open-air space (e.g. stadiums) and provided the instructions stipulated in the Protocol for the use of open-air amphitheatres are strictly adhered to.

It is clarified that the above arrangement would be updated, on the basis of the epidemiological indicators as they will be modified at each given moment.

(EK)