With the cases in the last three days cumulatively exceeding seven thousand, the government has moved to take new measures with some of them coming into effect from today.
Immediate impact is expected to affect entertainment centres, music and dance halls and banquet halls as those entering them will have to produce a negative 24-hour rapid test while... dancing will be banned for all.
The measures have brought a strong reaction from entertainment centre operators who believe they are being forced into closure. Speaking to the Cyprus Times, the president of the Pancyprian Association of Entertainment Centres Nikos Vassiliou appeared outraged at the measures, saying that once again entertainment centres are being victimised.
"They are unacceptable. Two days before New Year's Day they closed us down. They didn't even come to implement it as a measure to compensate us. They did it unofficially. For a month we have been waiting for these days to come to work. Who is going to pay our employees?"
He accused the Ministry of Health of not even bothering to consult with them and said that on the day before the decisions were made they sent a letter to the Minister which was never answered.
He wondered why anyone would go to a nightclub if they can't dance. "Go to the club and sit down? We are neither a coffee shop nor a theatre. We are an entertainment center. We worked for six whole months and followed all the protocols. In all the times we spoke to the Ministry of Health, it was never mentioned to us that the nightclubs were a source of infection. We were not given a recommendation or a comment. We talk to the officials on a daily basis and I have asked them to tell me specific entertainment centres where they have been a source of contamination. Whatever answer they gave me were restaurants that were not allowed to dance," said Mr. Vasileiou.
In fact, he even now challenges the officials to point out to him where and when the measures were not complied with.
Satisfaction in catering
On the other hand, the new measures seem to... not particularly touch the catering sector with the President of the Association of Leisure Centre Owners (PASIKA), Fanos Levendis, declaring satisfaction on the circumstances.
"They tried very hard to keep some balance by excluding catering. Clearly this is positive. We are satisfied in the circumstances that yet another restriction was not imposed on the catering areas. It is a way not to close down the industry completely," he said, speaking to Cyprus Times.
Regarding the setting of a maximum limit of 300 people for restaurants, entertainment centres and music and dance venues, Leventis said that "in order to be able to accommodate 300 people you have to have a 600 square metre premises. These spaces are not too many. The number in essence has not decreased much."
Potential problems, he added, are expected to arise in music and dance clubs as he said the ban on dancing combined with the 24-hour negative Rapid test measure will keep people at home.
"We are against this measure because it will be prohibitive for a number of our fellow citizens. People will likely prefer to stay in their homes since there has not been any reduction in residential gatherings. Additional problems are expected to arise in large venues where reservations have been made for more than 300 people and will force cancellations by operators. How will he choose them? We are of course waiting for the clarifications of the Ministry of Health, "said Mr. Leventis, noting that in the coming hours there will be consultation and discussion on the measures and with PASIKA members in order to have an overall position.
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