From May 10 onwards, Cyprus would be open for tourists fully vaccinated against Covid without restrictions, Tourism Minister Savvas Perdios said Monday.

“We will inform our partners abroad that from May 10, fully vaccinated people from the 65 countries we recently opened, can come to Cyprus without (Covid) tests and without quarantine, even if they are close contacts (of confirmed cases),” Perdios told the Cyprus News Agency.

The exemption concerns EU member states, the European Economic Area, including Norway and Iceland, but also Switzerland, Armenia, Bahrain, Belorussia, Canada, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Ukraine, UAE, Britain, and the USA.

Perdios’ comments came as Cyprus entered its third lockdown on Monday in an effort to stem the spread of infections that are threatening to overrun the health system. The lockdown is expected to be lifted on May 10.

Apart from being allowed in with a negative test, depending on their ranking, people from these 65 countries who have been fully vaccinated would be able to travel to Cyprus without tests. The exemption applies for Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine.

Member states can accept vaccines that have not been approved from the EU for travel reasons, the minister said.

“This is the agreement the EU countries made as regards the Green Pass, which is expected to be implemented in June 2021,” he said.

Perdios clarified that Cyprus will accept a vaccine certificate without a negative test from the day a person received the second jab, in the case of two-dose vaccines, or single jab when it comes to J&J.

A traveller must upload their certificate on Cyprus Flight Pass and fill in the form. The form will be checked during departure and arrival.

As regards reservations, Perdios said they expected Britain’s decisions on when they planned to allow overseas travel while Russia currently allowed scheduled flights but not chartered.

“We think chartered flights will be permitted as soon as our epidemiological situation improves,” Perdios said.

He said by the end of May there will be a clearer picture on how the year will progress.