Bi-communal health Committee discusses coronavirus measures

The bi-communal Technical Committee on Health Affairs continues its work, Greek Cypriot Head of the Technical Committee, Leonidas Phylactou told the Cyprus News Agency.

Leonidas Phylactou said that the members of the Committee informed each other on Tuesday on the measures taken on both sides of the island, across the divide, against coronavirus.

The meeting was held at UNFICYP’s headquarters in Nicosia, at the old Nicosia International Airport, and lasted for about one and a half hours.

Phylactou said that during the meeting it was explained to the Turkish Cypriot members of the Committee the rationale of the decision to temporarily close four checkpoints as a measure to protect the entire population of the island against coronavirus, a measure to be re-evaluated in seven days.

He said that Turkish Cypriot members expressed their disappointment over the decision while they briefed on measures being taken for the coronavirus in the Turkish occupied territory.

Phylactou said that according to the briefing made by the Turkish Cypriot members, the illegal regime in Cyprus Turkish occupied areas would stop accepting nationals from high-risk countries where there is a spread of coronavirus such as China, Iran, Iraq, Italy, South Korea, while Iranians students were not allowed to return to the occupied territories.

He also said that on two occasions yesterday, persons who arrived in the occupied areas through Turkey from high-risk countries were denied entry and were forced to return back.

We will continue to do our job, Phylactou said, adding that he and the Turkish Cypriot head of the Committee will be in constant contact for possible cases and actions related to the coronavirus and the Committee will meet again whenever it is deemed necessary.

It is also in the interest of the Turkish Cypriots to take all necessary measures to prevent a case of coronavirus on the island and it is in the interest of both sides that the Technical Committee on Health continues its work in this direction, he concluded.