The body of a woman was found floating in the sea off the Kastro area in Kato Paphos early on Tuesday, the Cyprus News Agency reports.

According to the police, the woman, was spotted around 10am on Tuesday. She was rushed to Paphos general hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

The Cyprus New Agency said the woman, aged between 60 and 65, had been reported missing by her family and was identified by her husband.

The exact cause of her death will be determined by a post-mortem examination. Police have ruled out foul play, the news agency added.

Paphos police booked 17 drivers during a road campaign on Monday and arrested two for being drunk behind the wheel.

At around 10pm officers stopped a car in Chlorakas which was travelling at a speed of 65km/h in an area where the speed limit is 50km/h.

The 54-year-old driver was four times over the legal alcohol limit, with a first test showing a reading of 88μg and a second 89μg. When his documents were checked they showed his licence had expired in June. He was arrested for the offences.

Late in the afternoon a 41-year-old woman who was breathalyzed while driving in Paphos had an even higher reading, 125μg instead of the 22μg permitted.

She was arrested after she refused to give a sample for a second test.

Police officers carried out 45 inspections during a campaign from 4pm until midnight, during which they checked vehicles travelling on the secondary road network in the areas of Mesogi, Polis Chrysochous, Stroumbi, Tsada, Prodromi, Giolou, Kissonerga and Peyia.

They booked 17 of the drivers, eight of them for speeding.

The department of lands and surveys announced on Friday all its operations in Paphos have been suspended after an employee tested positive for the coronavirus.

The office will remain closed on Friday while the building is being disinfected according to the relevant protocols and will reopen on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Coral Bay branch of the Bank of Cyprus has also suspended its operations after a positive Covid-19 case. Protocols have been activated. The branch will be disinfected and is expected to reopen on Tuesday with staff from other branches.  The closest alternative BoC branches are in town.

Meanwhile, the Cyprus Post announced it will not reopen the Limassol district office on Friday.

It was closed on Thursday after staff tested positive.

All other post offices in Limassol will be open.

Paphos football club announced on Monday that two of their players were found positive with coronavirus after testing the entire team on Monday.

The club said the two players featured in Sunday’s 1-0 away win over current champions Apoel.

“All our players underwent a rapid test following the game against Apoel on Sunday,” a statement on the Paphos football club website said.

The protocol regarding Covid-19 cases within football clubs issued by the health ministry has already been activated and the entire club will undergo PCR tests on Tuesday, Paphos FC said.

Apoel said it had cancelled Monday’s training shortly after being informed of the cases.

The club said it will also test all its players and staff on Tuesday.

Paphos police arrested four men in connection with the possession of 6.5 kilos of cannabis on Tuesday afternoon during an operation in which police were forced to fire shots in a bid to stop the suspects.

Following a tip-off, members of the drug squad tried to stop a vehicle in Gianni Kranidioti street at 3.25pm.

The driver accelerated in a bid to escape, hitting three police cars and slightly injuring one of the officers. Police fired shots during the chase, one in the air and one at the car, to force him to stop.

The driver, a 30-year-old man, was accompanied by two others, aged 31 and 26. All are residents of Larnaca.

During a search of their vehicle, police found one kilo of cannabis. Police were also given information implicating another suspect, a 37-year-old, who was located at 5.20pm driving in Paphos.

He initially presented a fake ID but the real documents were found later at his home which was searched with his written consent.

A search was then conducted at a warehouse to which the suspect had the key inside which police found 5.5 kilos of cannabis and €6.165.

Paphos municipality said on Thursday it will be stepping up a campaign to stamp out illegal parking, taking special aim at those parked on pavements.

The municipality said traffic wardens will be carrying out strict checks with immediate fines being issued.

“To avoid unnecessary expenses and inconveniences, drivers are kindly requested to comply with the traffic code,” the announcement read.

The situation regarding coronavirus in Paphos schools is under control, co-ordinator of high schools in the region Andreas Iosif said on Sunday.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, Iosif, who is also headmaster a the First Paphos lyceum, said that while there are cases at some Paphos schools, they are following protocols outlined by the ministry of health, which means that both students and teachers are currently self isolating at home.

But, he said, the majority of students are at school.

He said that apart from Polis Chrysochous, where there does seem to be a larger problem, the situation is under control, even in classes where children are in quarantine.

There are schools, he added, “where the teacher was the case and this means six or seven classes have had to stay home, a large number of student, but even in these school the situation is controlled”.

He said the small number of cases in each school with a positive result means that the virus is not being transmitted within schools.

Everyone is trying to ensure that schools remain open so that another large teaching period is not lost.

He said that while teachers are able to control what happens in the classroom their biggest problem is making sure protocols are being followed during break times.

He said five schools in Paphos had had positive cases in addition to those in Polis Chrysochous. A ministry of health announcement on Sunday said two schools in Paphos and four in Polis Chrysochous had recorded cases in the last three days.

On Friday the school board, the municipality and the parents associations decided to close high schools in Polis Chrysochous because of the number of cases, meaning most children stayed at home although the ministry said only it had the right to close a school.

Decreeing that restaurants be closed by 10.30pm is almost tantamount to closing them down completely, Paphos eateries have told the Sunday Mail.

They say that the notoriously late-eating Cypriots are unlikely to change their habits and dine early, and they cannot even rely on the equally notoriously earlier-eating British expats. The latter, they say, tend to embrace local practices the longer they live here, and there are no British tourists to speak of.

“Telling us to close at 10.30pm makes no sense at all and Cypriots as well as others living here in Cyprus go out to eat later as they finish work and are not home until 7pm. So by the time they go out to eat, it’s not enough time to enjoy a meal and leave before 10.30pm,” the president of the federation of restaurant/leisure owners Fitos Thrasyvoulou, told the Sunday Mail on Friday.

He added that restaurants and eateries will find it impossible to stay open under such conditions and instead will be requesting an extension in hours until 12 midnight, or face closure.

An 11pm curfew is currently in force the Limassol and Paphos districts and will remain in place until November 9, according to the decree in force since Friday.

Restaurants, bars, cafes and eateries, including those within hotels, must close by 10.30pm, although they can deliver after this hour. It seems that there is little hope of Cypriots, that tend to eat dinner after 9pm, of dining out earlier

“We are not talking about tourists, and there are very few of those, we are referring to locals. No-one at the moment is really going out to eat early. People say that British people do that, but it all depends on the person and there aren’t really any tourists here from the UK anyway,” Thrasyvoulou said.

Duomo Italian restaurant, a popular and established eatery in Paphos, said that many of their customers prefer to eat around 9pm or 10pm and the new decree is bound to adversely affect business, as most people won’t want to eat out earlier.

“I have seen the bookings and although some people, including Cypriots, are booking earlier, it’s just a few. Younger customers of all ages prefer to eat later as they often go out for drinks afterwards,” manager Andreas Christofis said.

He added that only some of the British residents choose to eat at 7pm and they are all of the ‘older age group’. He added that British tourists eat at all different times, but that they number very few this year.

He explained that at 10.15pm staff will hand the bills to the tables and that all customers must have left the premises by 10.30pm.

“If the police see any customers inside after this time, we will get a big fine and no-one will chance that,” he said.

Paphos resident, Philippos, in his 40s, owns a business and has two children. He eats out regularly with his family and believes the new restrictions will affect both Cypriot and foreign residents equally, as residents in Paphos, especially the British he said, embrace local life, culture and practices.

“This won’t make Cypriots more like the Brits that are believed to eat dinner early in the evening. British residents, especially those that have lived here for a while eat later, like us,” he told the Sunday Mail.

He added that the new restrictions wouldn’t change his eating habits or make him venture out earlier, but due to the increasing number of positive Covid-19 cases over the last few days, he prefers not to go out for dinner at all. Instead, his family are opting to eat at home.

Antonis, of Greek origin, has lived in Paphos for 16 years, and likes to eat out, ‘a lot’ with his Cypriot fiance, she prefers to have dinner around 7.30pm to 8pm, whereas, he prefers to eat after 9pm.

However, the new restrictions and an increase in cases of coronavirus mean the couple are ordering home deliveries of food instead of venturing out.

“The trend in eating habits will only become apparent after a week or so I think, but I would be surprised if people here go out earlier,” he said.

“They probably just won’t go out at all.”

A fire in Drousia destroyed five hectares of wild vegetation and trees, the forestry department said.

The fire broke out in the Paphos area at 7.30am on Tuesday and was under control at 11am.

Two state helicopters and aircraft, as well as one aircraft of the forestry department were at the scene.

Twenty-one workers from the forestry department with three fire engines also took part in the effort with two teams from the fire brigade, as well as two people from the game and fauna service with one fire truck.

The exact causes of the fire were not immediately known.

The Municipality of Paphos is in the final phase of preparations for the opening of the Paphos Innovation Institute, which will be inaugurated by President Nicos Anastasiades on Friday.

Mayor of Paphos Phedonas Phedonos stressed that the project, a collaboration with the Reichman University (IDC Herzliya) of Israel, sees Paphos enter a new era investing in innovation and related education.

“The aim is not only to turn Paphos into a smart and digital city, but also to create a third pillar of economic activity, next to those of tourism and construction, so that Paphos can attract young scientists, who now, after completing their studies, never return,” he said.

At the same time Paphos hopes to become a magnet for students from the wider region, he said.

Paphos may be a small town, however it is suitable to operate as a regional hub, precisely because of its size, it has many advantages, the mayor noted.

“We are a European country and that ensures access to substantial funds that Europe now spends on Innovation and Research,” he said.

Students from all over the world will also be given the opportunity to meet at the institute to create together, and move towards the future, he said.

“This project may not be the largest carried out in recent years in Paphos in terms of financial investment or expenditure, but without a doubt it is the most important,” Phedonas added.

The first courses centred on the topics of smart water management, big data analysis and others will get underway at the Institute, said the mayor.

The Paphos municipality has invited tenders for the complete renovation and reuse of an old inn in the heart of the city.

According to the municipality, the inn on Fellachoglou street is one of four that operated in Paphos about 100 years ago to accommodate travellers on their way from Paphos to other districts.

The project has an estimated cost of €125,000 plus VAT and the duration of the works is three months.

Interested parties can find the tender documents at www.eprocurement.gov.cy

Applications must be submitted by Monday, November 23 at noon.

Two members of the public have described to the Cyprus Mail how they helped free an injured man from a car at risk of bursting into flames after a head-on collision in Peyia on Wednesday.

The man is currently in hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the other vehicle, a 72-year-old man, died.

Alex Meredith, 45, and Terry Nicolls, 62, both British nationals, were headed to a work meeting around 2pm in Polis Chrysochous when they witnessed the 72-year old trying to overtake a car and then crashing head-on into a car driven by an Italian permanent resident of Paphos.

“I couldn’t ignore it,” said Meredith. “I would have felt like a bad person if I did not stop.”

After checking and not finding a pulse for the Briton, they quickly turned to helping  the other man involved in the accident.

“I had to save his life” Meredith said. “But the engines of the cars after the accident were smoking oil everywhere.”

“My colleague started pouring water on the engine and I ripped the car door off the hinges to take the man out,” he added.

Grabbing him by his arms, Meredith managed to get him to safety.

Covered in blood and glass, Meredith spent about half an hour comforting the injured man, who was in shock, until the police and the fire brigade arrived on the scene.

“I told him it was going to be okay and he would return to his family.”

The Italian man has now been hospitalised in Paphos’ general hospital with multiple injuries including broken ribs. When Meredith called the hospital on Thursday, they told him he is “in stable condition”.

The British pensioner was cut free from his vehicle by the fire service. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Small hand-crocheted items are being left around Paphos, along with notes or poems, and are intended to bring smiles to the faces of those that find them.

The discoverer is then encouraged to share photos and comments on social media.

The Dean family are responsible for creating the items and bringing the idea, which aims to spread kindness, from the UK to Paphos.

Due to the pandemic, cancelled flights and lockdown restrictions in the UK which would prevent them from seeing their grandchildren, Sharron and Peter Dean decided to stay on at their holiday home in Mesoyi for a few more months.

Along with daughter Kelly, Sharron crochets all sorts of cheerful creations, including flowers and poppies to commemorate Remembrance Day on Sunday, Sharron told the Sunday Mail.

Each item comes with a poem, either from the group, or one written by her husband Peter, who is an author.

“I have been out to a number of areas in Paphos to ‘hide’ poppies and other items, along with the poems and it really makes people smile and cheers them up. I crocheted a long time ago and my daughter, Kelly was doing it in the UK. She was furloughed due to the pandemic and started leaving items made all over our local area,” she said.

Her daughter usually works with the London ambulance transport company at Hillingdon hospital in patient transport, but was furloughed through lack of outpatient appointments due to Covid-19.

Her daughter filled her time by improving her crochet skills and began to leave these ‘Random Acts of Crochet Kindness’ in Hillingdon, and the feedback she got was ‘amazing’.

“So many people were uplifted by finding flowers, rainbows, hearts and animal faces and so on,and the short poem, during lockdown and beyond. Many people have posted on local groups as well as the original FB one.”

The original poem read: “I am not lost, just alone, if I make you smile, then take me home.”

The aim is to build a community of kind acts and make the world a bit lighter and brighter, the family says.

The Dean family arrived in Paphos on September 7, Kelly has since returned to the UK and left various crochet items to be distributed.

Sharron is continuing to crochet and has recently left Remembrance poppies by the harbour in Kato Paphos, along the lighthouse coastal path and outside shops and restaurants.

One lucky person wrote: “Did you leave one at Bonamare Beach? I took it and it really made my day. I wear it in remembrance of my Grandad. Thank you.”

Random acts of crochet kindness on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/906834113017980

The Paphos regional board of tourism is continuing to strengthen the promotion of the area and has prepared an enhanced action plan with a budget of over €480,000, officials said on Tuesday.

“Sixty five per cent of the budget for 2021 will be allocated for the enhancement of the tourist experience and in new technologies,” head of the Paphos regional board of tourism Nasos Hadjigeorgiou told the Cyprus Mail.

The remaining 35 per cent will be invested in targeted promotions, mainly advertising the destination both at home and overseas, he added.

The aim of the action plan and product development for 2021, which also incorporates the efforts of local agencies, entrepreneurs and the ministry of tourism, is to ensure the leading position of Cyprus, and in particular the Paphos district in the field of tourism, he said.

“We hope that in the coming months the pandemic will be ended by finding the vaccine against coronavirus so that 2021 will be a year marking the beginning of recovery for tourism in Cyprus, with the aim of returning to the growth rates we experienced before the pandemic.”

However, the tourism chief warned that even if recovery of the sector begins next year, it will take at least three to four years to see similar numbers of visitors to the island as experienced in 2019.

Nevertheless, Paphos continues to focus on its goals which are the upgrade of the experience, the expansion of air connections and the operation of the destination on a year-round basis.

“We are staying positive that the season can commence in March 2021 and everyone is on standby mode. There is a desire from travellers, tour operators, airline and all of the stakeholders to resume the holiday business if a vaccine is ready.”

He added that the spending per head of guests holidaying in Cyprus is expected to be lower, as can be seen in Europe and other source markets.

In addition, domestic tourism is considered vitally important, as over 600,000 residents of Cyprus that usually fly to Greece for holidays remained on the island this year and ‘rediscovered Cyprus’, he said.

“In July and August and some weekends, people explored several areas and Paphos was one of the most popular for domestic tourism,” he said.

Paphos police on Tuesday evening arrested a man in connection with a burglary early in the morning.

At 2am an 86-year-old woman reported to police that half an hour earlier, while she was asleep at home, a 35-year-old neighbour entered her home and assaulted her.

She said the man broke down the front door, pushed her, attacked her and tore a gold chain with a cross worth €1,000 from her neck.

An arrest warrant was issued against the 35-year-old who is known to the policet and he was detained.

Another arrest was made in Moutallos, Paphos, in the evening.

Officers of the crime prevention unit stopped a car in the area at 9.30pm for checks.

A search of his vehicle turned up five grammes of cannabis and two grammes of methamphetamine.

He was taken to the offices of the drug squad in Paphos where he reportedly said the drugs were for his own use.

Further investigations revealed he was also driving an unregistered vehicle.

Enforcement of the restrictions designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus from hotspots Limassol and Paphos will be undertaken by the police assisted by the National Guard, Justice Minister Emily Yiolitis, said on Thursday.

“It is certain that the characteristics of the measures necessitates a larger number of resources, which does not exist at the police at the moment,” the ministers said, as a substantial number of officers is currently in isolation because of the coronavirus.

Yiolitis sought to assure the public that the military was not there to intimidate but to help the police in its mission to enforce the lockdowns imposed on Paphos and Limassol.

Speaking at a news conference, Yiolitis said the country’s epidemiological profile left the government no option but to roll out stricter measures.

“From the first moment, protecting human life was non-negotiable for the state,” she said.

But for the peoples’ sacrifices to be of value, the state had to ensure the measures were observed to the highest degree.

“It is an imperative need to strictly monitor the new measures to avert further spread of the virus,” she said. “Police officers are neither enemies not punishers.”

Yiolitis said the officers and the members of the National Guard were carrying out their duty under unprecedented conditions to ensure “the sacrifices of the overwhelming majority of our fellow citizens are not wasted.”

“They too have families, grandfathers, and grandmothers, and friends, and in this battle, there should not be opposing camps and exchanges.”

The minister said police along with the National Guard have prepared an operational plan to ensure the measures were observed.

She did not give details, but police spokesman Christos Andreou told Omega TV police’s operational plan provides for nine checkpoints as follows: Governor’ Beach, Aphrodite’s Rock towards Paphos, Oras area, Palechori towards Agros, Karvounas, Prodromos, Ayios Nicolaos Paphos, Stavros tis Psokas towards Paphos and Pomos towards Pachyammos.

Yiolitis said instructions to the police were to show understanding, make recommendations, and apply common sense in dealing with the public.

“I wouldn’t want to refer to roadblocks because our aim is not to create a police state, nor a military regime. We are here to help. There will be checkpoints on motorways and other areas of the countryside,” the minister said.

The first reaction came from the opposition even before the minister finished the news conference.

“To set up roadblocks with the help and presence of the army @emilyyiolitis is an unprecedented and extreme measure. Withdraw immediately because you are provoking people,” main opposition Akel MP Aristos Damianou tweeted.

He later told the state broadcaster that the ministry should use officers who were behind desks or firefighters who were technically part of the force.

Akel is generally averse to seeing soldiers on the streets although the National Guard had been used during the first wave of the virus in March to assist the police in enforcing a blanket lockdown. The army was also used to guard airports, and conscripts also carried out joint foot patrols with the police along the buffer zone late last year.

During the winter, only ten hotels are expected to remain open in the Paphos District from the end of November onwards, according to the head of the Paphos branch of the Cyprus Hotels Association.

Thanos Michaelides expressed concern about supplies for those hotels that do remain open after the government announced a lockdown for Limassol and Paphos.

Out of the 110 approved tourist hotels and accommodation available in the Paphos district, only ten will remain in operation, of which three are four-star venues, two are three-star and the rest are Hotel Apartments and Boutique Hotels, Michaelides, told the Cyprus News Agency on Thursday.

He also questioned whether customers who booked Paphos hotel accommodation to stay in November with domestic tourism support programme would still be able to visit Paphos.

“The Paphos Hotels Association expresses its concern regarding the supply to hotel accommodation that will remain open in the district, after the announcement of a new package of additional measures for Paphos and Limassol,” he said.

It should also be clarified, he noted, whether “executives working in hotels and living outside the Paphos and Limassol districts will be able to visit the hotel units.”

He described the situation as very difficult, noting that this is evident from the low number of hotels that will remain open.

“It is the development of a very bad summer season and the continuation of a very bad winter season,” he said.

The Paphos Hotels Association expects the months of January-February to show how the market will develop for the summer of 2021, as this season is already lost, he said.

Burglars broke into a house in Tremithousa in the Paphos district and made off with jewellery worth €250,000, the Cyprus News Agency reported on Thursday.

It said that the complaint was filed by the 66-year old owner of the house, a Ukrainian national permanent resident of Cyprus. He told police that his house had been burgled during his absence. The valuables stolen include watches and jewellery. They were not insured.

Paphos CID officers who went to the scene established that the burglars had entered through the balcony door which was closed but unlocked.

Police investigations continue.

Police on Friday installed roadblocks on several roads leading to Paphos and Limassol following the travel ban to, from and between these districts as part of the latest measures to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Police and the justice minister gave reassurances that the presence of around 40 National Guardsmen is to assist the officers on site and they will be not armed.

This followed criticism by main opposition Akel that using soldiers to man the roadblocks was unnecessary since staff from other state services could be utilised for the job.

“The army is not coming to intimidate but help,” Justice Minister Emily Yiolitis said in a tweet.

In a written statement, Yiolitis also said that the police officers and the National Guardsmen were there to make sure the measures were followed.

On Friday noon, the police and the army set up checkpoints on highways and roads leading to the two districts following the travel ban that will last until the end of the moth.

“They are not enemies, or there to punish anyone,” Yiolitis said, in her statement about the presence of the police officers and soldiers.

She added that everyone’s concern was to return to normality as soon as possible, calling on people to follow the measures.

Image: Christos Theodorides

Image: Christos Theodorides

Image: Christos Theodorides

Image: Christos Theodorides

Image: Christos Theodorides

Image: Christos Theodorides

Image: Christos Theodorides

Image: Christos Theodorides

Image: Christos Theodorides

Image: Christos Theodorides

Image: Christos Theodorides

Image: Christos Theodorides

Image: Christos Theodorides

Image: Christos Theodorides

Plastic barriers were to be placed on the Nicosia to Limassol motorway near Governor’s Beach, at Petra tou Romiou, in the area of Ora, on the road from Palaichori to Agros, in Karvounas, Prodromos, Ayios Nicolaos in Paphos, in Stavros tis Psokas towards Kykkos and on the road from Pomos to Pachyammos.

Police spokesman Christos Andreou told state broadcaster CyBC that the National Guardsmen will assist police and will not be the ones carrying out the checks.

He also said that they will not only be on the checkpoints but will also be used for patrols or wherever else needed. Andreou said the use of soldiers was deemed necessary citing understaffing of the police force.

But Akel leader Andros Kyprianou called on the government to change its decision to use soldiers arguing that “it was other types of regimes that put soldiers out on the streets.”

A government decree specifies and clarifies the circumstances under which certain individuals are exempt from the restrictions and can still travel to, from and between the districts of Limassol and Paphos.

The health ministry on Friday, following numerous requests for special exemptions, clarified that the minister will only approve extremely serious cases and cases of urgent need for the exceptional transfer of employees/persons to any other services/companies or for any other purposes.

The ministry also announced that since workers exempt from the ban on movement to these districts will be obliged from Wednesday afternoon to present a negative coronavirus test certificate the government would subsidise tests for these people.

The tests will be given by mobile units, the health ministry said specifying this concerns only workers, while more information would be announced soon.

As an early curfew and movement ban came into force Paphos and Limassol to try to curb the spread of Covid19, many residents in Paphos feel that they are being singled out and unfairly penalised.

Checkpoints have been set up in Governor’ Beach, Aphrodite’s Rock close to Pissouri, Oras area, Palaichori, Karvounas, Prodromos, Ayios Nicolaos village, Stavros tis Psokas and Pomos/ Pachyammos.

A police spokesman said drivers approaching checkpoints will have their paperwork checked and if it not valid a fine from €300 will be imposed.

“Drivers will also be turned back to where they set out from,” he said.

“It is our mission to help and explain to the public and if they have the incorrect papers, how they can find the best solution. Our officers have been briefed to show good behaviour. We (the police) have to implement order.”

One Paphos resident is concerned that the travel ban, curfew and PCR test needed to enter the district as of Wednesday will create an impossible situation for his family as his daughter is undergoing life-saving chemotherapy at Makarios Hospital in Nicosia.

“Although we have been told by the hospital that we will not need Covid tests as it is presumed we are safe and being careful because of our daughter who is at high risk, we can’t be sure. The health ministry announced that all those travelling need a negative PCR tests. What if we get stopped on the way for her treatment and have to go back to Paphos,” he said.

The family currently travel up and down to the capital every week, and spend some days in Nicosia, before returning to Paphos.

“How can we practically test every time. And who will pay, it would be very expensive. On Thursday my daughter finished her treatment until next week and we had to rush back to Paphos and we were worried about the curfew. It’s very stressful,” he said.

Many Paphos residents believe that introducing restrictive measures only in Paphos and Limassol is absurd, and should be applied island wide.

“The curfew doesn’t bother me, but it makes no sense to punish Paphos. If people wore their masks as they should, it would be much safer for everyone. I still see people walking in busy streets in all the towns with no masks and greeting their friends like nothing is happening. It’s crazy. The entire island should be on lockdown, not just us,” an angry resident told the Cyprus Mail.

“What is this, a dictator state where we have to have roadblocks so that we can’t travel to other towns and are told we can’t leave home after 8pm? We are either open or fully closed and staying inside, it can’t be like this. The politicians always single Paphos out, they don’t like us,” said another.

One local businessman said the restrictions should be applied all over Cyprus with “everything” closed for three weeks or so, and SMS permissions to leave the house in line with the first lockdown.

“This approach won’t bring the numbers down much, as people are still getting together and out and about. It also gives ammunition to those that think it’s all a big lie, or that the government has something against Paphos or Limassol. It’s causing too much aggravation and people would take a total lockdown, with support from the government far more seriously.”

Mandy Maskell, a Paphos hairdresser has had to close her business until November 30, in line with the new restrictions. She said although she understands that action must be taken to slow down the spread of the virus, closing hairdressers doesn’t make any sense.

“We haven’t had any real cases in hairdressers in Paphos and we have been masked, sanitizing and taking temperatures of our clients since May 21, and yet schools are still open, where many cases come from. I feel for the restaurants and bars, some of them may never open again,” she said.

“The government would be criticised whatever it did, but it worries me that we may be closed for more than two weeks. Before the government said it would be two or three weeks and it was almost 10.”