FAMILIES planning a Cyprus holiday will still have to pay for negative Covid tests for teenagers, despite the latest announcement.
The country confirmed today that all vaccinated tourists will be able to enter the country restriction-free.
This means not having to pay for a negative coronavirus test or quarantine on arrival.
Deputy tourism minister Savvas Perdios told local media: "We have informed the British government that from May 1 we will facilitate the arrival of British nationals who have been vaccinated … so they can visit Cyprus without a negative test or needing to quarantine.
"We are absolutely working with our international partners on the need for certification in terms of having had a vaccine to be able to travel to another country."
However, only kids under the age of 12 are exempt from the rules of needing to be vaccinated.
This leaves any travellers between the age of 12 and 18, who must still have a negative coronavirus test to enter the country, the Cyprus tourist board confirmed.
Not only are trials still being conducted on the effect of the vaccine on teenagers and kids, but they are likely to be the last to be vaccinated as the government rollout prioritises the older population.
Families wanting to head on holiday will have to pay for the negative test per teenager, taken no more than 72 hours before travelling.
Negative coronavirus tests can cost hundreds of pounds each as they cannot be done on the NHS – making a summer trip together much more expensive.
Brits who have received both jabs will be able to travel to the country from May 1, although the second jab must be given at least seven days before travelling to Cyprus.
Authorities still have the right to carry out random tests on foreign arrivals, the deputy tourism minister said.
Cyprus has been in and out of lockdown for about a year but has not been hit as hard as other countries by the global pandemic.
Authorities on the island have introduced widespread testing, with almost everyone obliged to take a test once a week.
By Thursday, it had recorded a total of 36,004 infections and 232 deaths.
The UK is also leading for the Covid vaccination with 20m people being given the first dose, although less 1m have been given the second jab.
It is also worth remembering that foreign holidays from the UK are still not allowed, with the earliest they will restart being May 17.
The government will announce when they can restart on April 12.
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