Marios Pelekanos [Cub. Representative] to Politis 107.6: Finally the free rapid tests from Sunday – These measures are being studied by the Minister today

The Council of Ministers is meeting today at 09:30 in the morning, while through a Government Spokesperson it became clear that there is no question of revoking the decision to terminate the free Rapid tests from 1 August. Speaking to the “Morning Inspection” at Politis 107.6 & 97.6 today, Marios Pelekanos said that the possibility of unvaccinated workers in nursing homes undergoing PCR testing every 48 hours is also being studied. Note that antigen tests will be free for vaccinated people and children.

Although yesterday in a letter published the Commissioner of Administration Maria Stylianou – Lottidou asked for the proposal to be reconsidered from August 1, those citizens who are unvaccinated or have not been infected with coronavirus for the last six months will have to pay for the test themselves. However, today Mr. Pelekanos clarified that the decision was taken and will enter into force next Sunday.

The measures that the Council of Ministers will study today are:

The Minister of Health, Michalis Hatzipandelas, is expected to present today before the Council of Ministers a proposal that will concern the mandatory presentation of safepass in more places, and specifically in places with less people, such as very small businesses. The preferred scenario is the demonstration of safepass in places where there is a single digit number of people, and therefore it is expected that the new decree that will be issued from August 1 will include smaller companies, such as kiosks, mini market, etc. This is one of the proposals of the Federation of Employers and Industrialists, which, except unexpectedly, will be adopted by the Council of Ministers. According to the decree which is now in force, the presentation of safepass is mandatory in all indoor and outdoor areas where at any time more than 20 people gather, including the employees of the company.

In addition, it is recommended that unvaccinated nursing home workers perform a PCR test every 48 hours. This proposal is based on the fact that in recent days there has been an increase in incidents located in closed structures and especially in nursing homes, with the data from the tracking team betraying that the transmission starts from unvaccinated workers, who even get stuck vaccinated residents.