The Covid-19 portal opened on Monday at 7.30am for appointments to vaccinate children aged over 12 following cabinet’s decision to expand the holiday island’s inoculation programme to curb the virus spread.

The Cabinet announced on Friday that new pandemic rules will apply in August, including a greater number of shops out of reach for people without a Safe Pass and follow up rapid or PCR tests checks for foreign visitors who are not vaccinated.

Tourist arrivals in August are expected to be around the same as those for July and only slightly better than those for June, Deputy Tourism Minister Savvas Perdios has said.

The first divers have visited the Museum of Underwater Sculpture in Ayia Napa (Musan) after it was officially opened on Saturday night.

Cabinet on Friday approved a €900,000 support scheme for the wine sector to help overcome a plunge in consumption as a result of the lockdown.

Dozens of birds were released back into the wild on Thursday after receiving treatment for various injuries at the Athalassa wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre.

More than 8,000 people have been vaccinated through the walk-in centres so far with officials on Thursday expressing belief that the goal of an 80% vaccination rate will be achieved in August.

There should be no complacency regarding Covid-19 vaccinations, warned on Thursday European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Cypriot Stella Kyriakides, in remarks at Paralimni.

Cyprus is on target to vaccinate 80% of the population by the end of August, with 970,000 Covid-19 shots already administered.

More than one in ten small businesses (13%) were forced to shut down during 16 months of coronavirus restrictions and lockdowns.