Cyprus mandates more testing to check rapid COVID-19 spread

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus is further tightening its pandemic restrictions, reducing the number of people permitted at social gatherings and mandating virus testing for schoolteachers and all inbound travelers over 12 amid surging COVID-19 infections. Cypriot Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela said on Wednesday that teachers, students and staff will need to produce a negative rapid test taken within two days prior to their return from Christmas and New Year holidays on Jan. 10. All travelers to Cyprus irrespective of their place of departure must show a negative PCR test taken two days prior to boarding. Some 5,450 people tested positive for the coronavirus out of the roughly 123,000 rapid tests carried out on Tuesday.