Cyprus swaps student quarantine with 5 days of virus tests
Cyprus' health minister says the nation is changing its compulsory quarantine rules for school children in an effort to keep pupils in school amid surging coronavirus infections
![Virus Outbreak Cyprus](https://static.independent.co.uk/2022/01/12/17/Virus_Outbreak_Cyprus_85576.jpg)
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
![Head shot of Andrew Feinberg](https://static.independent.co.uk/static-assets/support-us/andrew-feinberg.png)
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
Cyprus is changing its compulsory quarantine rules for school children in an effort to keep pupils in school amid surging coronavirus infections, the country's health minister said Wednesday.
Under the new system, schoolkids who were in close contact with classmates who test positive will no longer face compulsory quarantine. Instead, they must undergo either a rapid or a self-test for five consecutive days while continuing to attend school — so long as they test negative.
Minister Michalis Hadjipantela said after a Cabinet meeting that the month-long effort starting next week will apply to primary and secondary students regardless if they’ve been vaccinated or not.
The aim of the so-called “test to stay” scheme is to keep schools running by quickly identifying and isolating newly infected students without keeping classmates away from lessons.
Meanwhile, the Education Ministry is scrambling to find substitutes for absent teachers. Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou said authorities have mobilized to cover all teacher absences and pleaded with teachers’ unions to stop disclosing data that gives “misleading impressions” about the extent of the problem.
Unvaccinated teachers must be rapid tested every 48 hours. Those without a booster shoot need to undergo a rapid test once weekly.
The primary school teachers’ union will hold an ad hoc meeting of its members to decide whether to call strike action over what it calls “inadequate” measures to counter the spread of COVID-19 in schools, state broadcaster CyBC reported.
Also, as of Jan. 14, travelers to Cyprus must have undergone either a rapid antigen or a PCR test within 24 and 72 hours respectively prior to arrival. Anyone intending to travel to Cyprus but has contracted COVID-19 must wait 10 days before setting off.
Cyprus has seen an infection rate of over 3% for the last two weeks with the health care system feeling the pressure as hospital admissions for COVID-19 patients has been on a steady rise.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.