Travel & quarantine

CPFC · Post by **CPFC** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 7:05 am

Dear all,

I appreciate that this topic has been covered in many threads over the past few weeks but I was looking for some up to date information please. As a home owner if I travel to NC via Ercan I know I need a negative test (taken within 72 hours) and have to take a further test on arrival - my questions are:

1. Can I quarantine at my own house rather than a nominated hotel?
2. If you can quarantine at home what evidence do you need to show them you are actually an owner?
3. Is the quarantine period always 7 days or could this be sooner if the negative test result comes back earlier?

I only have a few days holiday left to take and I am seeing if I can squeeze a visit to NC.

I acknowledge that I will need to get any advice confirmed via the appropriate channels but was after some indicative answers.

Many thanks

MnM · Post by **MnM** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 8:45 am

I'm sure there will be some more definitive advice along shortly to correct me if i'm wrong, but as a home-owner, you should have a Muhtar letter, utility bill, Contract of Sale and perhaps a Kocan in your name? More importantly, would your "few days" allow for 7 days self-isolation before you can leave your home or receive visitors etc? Are you able to arrange to have all your needs such as food and drink at your home before you arrive? Not assuming if you work or not, if you do, are you able to self-isolate working from home or without pay on your return to the UK should Cyprus and or Turkey get added to "the list" while you're out there? So many questions, the answers to some of which are changing frequently. I have 31 days holiday to use up and i'm staying away reluctantly for those very reasons. Don't get me wrong, i'm with you all day long on wanting to go.

Marc111 · Post by **Marc111** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 3:35 pm

Hı
We arrived last evening and now spending our first day at our Appartment self isolating
Only had to give address of our Appartment on the arrival form. We bought our Kocan with us but nobody asked to see it. We were told we had to stay in our property for 7 days which we will but on the back of the arrival form its says until you get your test results back.

Marc111 · Post by **Marc111** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 3:38 pm

How do i add a picture of the form?

Mollie the cat · Post by **Mollie the cat** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 4:08 pm

Instead of hitting the submit button to post a message go to full editor and preview press that selection, scroll down a little you will see the word attachments, press that upload a file/picture from your device.

d1cxx · Post by **d1cxx** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 4:48 pm

Marc111, Did you get a NHS test before you left the UK, or did you go private? And how many days before your arrival in the TRNC did you take the test?

Marc111 · Post by **Marc111** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 5:23 pm

Instead of hitting the submit button to post a message go to full editor and preview press that selection, scroll down a little you will see the word attachments, press that upload a file/picture from your device.

Thanks for your help. Tried that and no prompts when I hit attachment button.
Was just going to show that on thef back of the arrival form it says self isolate until you get your negetive results back, however when we had our test and went to passport control they said 7 days.

Marc111 · Post by **Marc111** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 5:35 pm

d1cxx wrote: ↑
Wed 02 Sep 2020 4:48 pm
Marc111, Did you get a NHS test before you left the UK, or did you go private? And how many days before your arrival in the TRNC did you take the test?

Hi
We got NHS test done on Friday at drive through centre, results back Saturday morning flight Tuesday mid day.
Was all a bit stressful getting everthing in place and had to change our larnaca flights to Ercan and had a connecting flight cancelled so had to re arrange that. Finally got it all sorted and got here no problem.
To be honest there's not to much social distancing especially on the İstanbul leg and seats on plane all full.

d1cxx · Post by **d1cxx** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 5:42 pm

Cheers Marc111, I am hoping to come out on the 26th, haven't booked the flight yet, I was going to wait for test result, but now I am thinking perhaps I should book now.
Thanks for the info, it really is a juggling situation.

Marc111 · Post by **Marc111** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 5:57 pm

Book your flights and then organise your test. We could pre book test more a day in advance or as we did on the same day.
I'm sure if you got a positive result most airlines would refund or rebook for you as its covid related.
Good luck sure you will be fine. We booked for 3 weeks to take into account the self isolating situation and the hops we had to jump through to get here.
Well worth it as I'm sitting on the balcony with my shirt off and enjoying a glass of wine looking at the mountains..

Marc111 · Post by **Marc111** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 5:58 pm

We couldn't pre book test more than a day in advance

CPFC · Post by **CPFC** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 6:01 pm

Thanks all for your responses - much appreciated. Marc it would be good to hear how long it takes for your test results if you don’t mind updating us?

Thanks

d1cxx · Post by **d1cxx** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 6:36 pm

Marc111 wrote: ↑
Wed 02 Sep 2020 5:57 pm
Book your flights and then organise your test. We could pre book test more a day in advance or as we did on the same day.
I'm sure if you got a positive result most airlines would refund or rebook for you as its covid related.
Good luck sure you will be fine. We booked for 3 weeks to take into account the self isolating situation and the hops we had to jump through to get here.
Well worth it as I'm sitting on the balcony with my shirt off and enjoying a glass of wine looking at the mountains..

Cheers, Marc111, I'm booking my flight now, looking at the mountains, glass of wine, and shirt off has swung it for me.
Nothing ventured etc....

Marc111 · Post by **Marc111** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 6:48 pm

Good call

Wish you well. So many business need our help here right now and I think with all the tests we undergo to get here we must be classed as some of the safest visitors in the world.

d1cxx · Post by **d1cxx** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 7:11 pm

Done, £266.00 Return from Edinburgh

for myself, the other half not willing to come, as she has health issues. However it has been a year since we have been out, jobs need doing, and I get the impression that I am dispensable, and worth the risk.

denali2007 · Post by **denali2007** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 7:52 pm

We have flight booked to Ercan overnight 22nd/23rd September and are now considering our trip. Can we get a free NHS test even if we have no symptoms? Also our connecting flight on return journey now leaves at the same time as the first flight lands. I presume this is because of the restriction on number of flights now. Can i rearrange this on line or must it be via phone?
Thanks in advance.

Hedge-fund · Post by **Hedge-fund** » Wed 02 Sep 2020 8:09 pm

Yes you can get a test without symptoms.

I presume you can try online 1st to rearrange one of the return flights but if no joy - ring up.

My TA flight times for Oct ECN - LHR flights have been changed 3 times in the last week so there is a lot going on behind the scenes.

Keithcaley · Post by **Keithcaley** » Thu 03 Sep 2020 5:31 am

Best get yourself sorted pronto: -

I saw this on the BBC...

Coronavirus testing rationed amid outbreaks -

frontalman · Post by **frontalman** » Thu 03 Sep 2020 6:48 am

Your link didn't work for me, Keith.

sophie · Post by **sophie** » Thu 03 Sep 2020 6:49 am

Nor me, said page couldn't be found.

Post by **Soner** » Thu 03 Sep 2020 7:18 am

Here you go: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-53990068

Keithcaley · Post by **Keithcaley** » Thu 03 Sep 2020 8:20 am

Thanks for that, I've edited my original post - a slight difficulty with the way that the 'share' function works on the BBC website...

denali2007 · Post by **denali2007** » Thu 03 Sep 2020 9:54 am

Many thanks for all this valuable info. Our holiday to Cyprus is now back on!

Hector · Post by **Hector** » Fri 04 Sep 2020 3:51 pm

We tried for a NHS tests but were refused as we didn't have any symptoms and certainly not just for travelling. Have to go private at a cost of £160 each. Trying to work out flights LHR to Istanbul & Ercan (and return) along with complying with the 3-5 day time limits is proving a nightmare and expensive.

Marc111 · Post by **Marc111** » Sat 05 Sep 2020 6:33 am

Hi Hector,
Did you ring up or apply online?

CPFC · Post by **CPFC** » Sat 05 Sep 2020 7:32 am

I think I might have symptoms when I book a test before travel...

sophie · Post by **sophie** » Sat 05 Sep 2020 7:35 am

Poor Hector. You have more much more stamina that I have. By now I'd have kicked the whole trip into touch and saved my money!!!

Trigger · Post by **Trigger** » Sat 05 Sep 2020 9:16 am

sophie wrote: ↑
Sat 05 Sep 2020 7:35 am
Poor Hector. You have more much more stamina that I have. By now I'd have kicked the whole trip into touch and saved my money!!!

It will be worth it when he gets there. We have missed visiting North Cyprus this year. Had to do the sensible thing and put work first.

Hoping something changes for us to visit at Christmas, but I wouldn’t be shocked if it is a no goer.

denali2007 · Post by **denali2007** » Sat 05 Sep 2020 1:08 pm

So yesterday I rang Pegasus and made the complicated arrangements to fly to Ercan later this month. The gentleman was extremely patient and efficient. The transactions included sorting the open ticket to fly, and refund another booking which Pegasus had themselves cancelled.
However this morning I get an e mail from them to say the flight from Istanbul to Stansted leaves at 09.55 am. This is precisely the time the flight from Ercan arrives in Istanbul!!!
Not another lengthy phone call surely, and what can have changed since yesterday?

13roman58 · Post by **13roman58** » Sat 05 Sep 2020 1:33 pm

The government are restricting the amount of flights into Ercan to six a day.
Possibly cancelling all flights for a week as the number of new cases, mainly coming from abroad, is more than the number of free hospital beds per week.
You may be offered a flight on the next available day.
Good luck.

denali2007 · Post by **denali2007** » Sat 05 Sep 2020 2:07 pm

Thank you 13roman. Think I might make another phone call if I dont get that offer.

Hedge-fund · Post by **Hedge-fund** » Sat 05 Sep 2020 3:37 pm

13roman58 wrote: ↑
Sat 05 Sep 2020 1:33 pm
The government are restricting the amount of flights into Ercan to six a day.
Possibly cancelling all flights for a week as the number of new cases, mainly coming from abroad, is more than the number of free hospital beds per week.
You may be offered a flight on the next available day.
Good luck.

That number has been doubled and is slated to go to 20 next week.

https://www.lgcnews.com/daily-flight-nu ... -increase/

denali2007 · Post by **denali2007** » Sat 05 Sep 2020 8:05 pm

Has anything changed today re self isolation? A Cypriot neighbour of ours says we have to quarantine in a hotel at our cost. Maybe a change from Monday? Are we back to the drawing board? Please tell me not.

denali2007 · Post by **denali2007** » Sat 05 Sep 2020 8:10 pm

He now says the ruling was changed a couple of hours ago!!! Only booked my flights yesterday. Annoying if this is true.

wanderer · Post by **wanderer** » Sat 05 Sep 2020 8:15 pm

https://www.kibrisgazetesi.com/kibris/y ... 95701.html

https://www.kibrisgazetesi.com/kibris/7 ... 95695.html

alphamike · Post by **alphamike** » Sat 05 Sep 2020 9:42 pm

There's going to be a lot of unhappy people who have booked thinking they can self-isolate at home. Nice to see that people coming from 3 days don't have to bother, I don't think casinos will be on my list of places to visit.

Hector · Post by **Hector** » Sat 05 Sep 2020 9:55 pm

Unbelievable! Only booked our flights yesterday to come over in a few days time. Not now if we have to quarantine in a hotel for 7 days and not our villa. Thank you TRNC thats a grand down the drain.

morpar · Post by **morpar** » Sat 05 Sep 2020 10:45 pm

Mortar
Are there any better translations . Cannot make sense of newspaper article.

wjms · Post by **wjms** » Sun 06 Sep 2020 4:43 am

Source: WFT Northern Cyprus Facebook page, author: Ebru Yasal

Today, Contagious Diseases High Committee convened under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Ersin Tatar.

The decisions made were as follows:

PRIME MINISTER ERSİN TATAR:

-It has been deemed appropriate to quarantine everyone who comes to our island from 7 September.

-Students are also included in this process and will go into quarantine in places determined by the university.

-This decision will be in effect from 7 September to 20 September. A reassessment will take place on 20 September.

HEALTH MINISTER ALİ PİLLİ:

There are local cases of internal transmissions which is why the higher committee took this decision.

A 7-day quarantine decision was made for our health capacity to work better. It is not a late decision. All cases are monitored daily and we will make the necessary decisions. This war is won in unity anytime anywhere. If everyone does their part, we will beat it. I have full faith in this.

ALİ CAYGÜR:

1.A) People from Category B countries (including Turkey and the UK) will be quarantined for 7 days from 7th September.

(Quarantine centers are to be provided by the Ministry of Finance and will be inspected by the Ministry of Health and security forces) The application will take effect on 06 September 2020 at 23:59 and will end on September 20, 2020 at 23:59. A re-evaluation will be made on the end date of this application.

B). In cases where a person's 3 PCR tests come back negative, it is very unlikely that the test becomes positive in 3 days and the possibility of contagion is very low. For this reason, it has been deemed appropriate that people from Category B countries who enter our country with a double negative PCR result are exempted from quarantine practices provided that they stay in the TRNC for less than 3 days (including the 3rd day).

C). Students who come to the TRNC for higher education will be isolated in the dormitories or hotels determined by the University for 7 days.

D). The quarantine applications of those who go abroad for health reasons will be evaluated if they apply to the Ministry of Health.

E). Category C: Persons coming to our country are obliged to document a negative PCR test result, which needs to be done within 0-120 hours before their boarding date. Quarantine will be applied in the quarantine centers determined for 14 days upon entering the country. If necessary, they will be tested whilst in quarantine.

2. Due to the intense local contamination in Vadili, İnönü and Akdoğan regions recently, all collective organisations, such as weddings are prohibited for 14 days from 07 September 2020 (including 07 September 2020) until 20 September 2020 (including 20 September 2020). The opening of all schools in this region has also been postponed for 14 days.

3. A) It is observed that rules are not being adhered to despite all the warnings about social distancing at open air entertainment venues. If the rules are not followed during the audits, businesses will be forced to shut.

B) In addition, if rules are not followed at weddings and similar organisations held outdoors, restrictions will be imposed on weddings.

4. Restaurants, cafes and food service places will continue to serve on the condition that they comply with the hygiene and social distancing rules. If these services do not comply with the specified rules, their closure will be on the agenda.

5. Measures to be taken regarding the transport sector; the driver's compartment should be separated from the passengers with a device. In the meantime, windows should be open, air conditioning should not be used and everyone in the vehicle should wear a mask. Passengers' name-surname and address records should also be kept.

NOTE:

• No changes have been made in the practices regarding the PCR tests requested from the people coming from Category B at the time of entering our country.

• The following persons will be exempted from these quarantine fees:

- People who will enter our country as a student

- People who went abroad before 6 September 2020

- People who travel to Turkey with a referral order and sent as outgoing patients and personnel.

These decisions will be valid until September 20. Decisions will be reviewed again.

13roman58 · Post by **13roman58** » Sun 06 Sep 2020 4:55 am

That should get the hotel occupancy figures up!

EnjoyingTheSun · Post by **EnjoyingTheSun** » Sun 06 Sep 2020 6:13 am

13roman58 wrote: ↑
Sun 06 Sep 2020 4:55 am
That should get the hotel occupancy figures up!

TBH if you ever talk to the management of the big hotels they always tell you their occupancy figures are a steady 95% even as tumbleweed is blowing through the reception. I believe it’s called denial

EnjoyingTheSun · Post by **EnjoyingTheSun** » Sun 06 Sep 2020 6:14 am

alphamike wrote: ↑
Sat 05 Sep 2020 9:42 pm
There's going to be a lot of unhappy people who have booked thinking they can self-isolate at home. Nice to see that people coming from 3 days don't have to bother, I don't think casinos will be on my list of places to visit.

I think anyone who is making plans to travel before 2021 would be as well putting their travel money on one number on a roulette wheel

Kanonier · Post by **Kanonier** » Sun 06 Sep 2020 7:17 am

EnjoyingTheSun wrote: ↑
Sun 06 Sep 2020 6:14 am

alphamike wrote: ↑
Sat 05 Sep 2020 9:42 pm
There's going to be a lot of unhappy people who have booked thinking they can self-isolate at home. Nice to see that people coming from 3 days don't have to bother, I don't think casinos will be on my list of places to visit.
I think anyone who is making plans to travel before 2021 would be as well putting their travel money on one number on a roulette wheel

I would agree with that, it's just a matter of biting the bullet and hope for a vaccine sometime soon.

EnjoyingTheSun · Post by **EnjoyingTheSun** » Sun 06 Sep 2020 7:35 am

Kanonier wrote: ↑
Sun 06 Sep 2020 7:17 am

I would agree with that, it's just a matter of biting the bullet and hope for a vaccine sometime soon.

The problem with the vaccine hope is there is no vaccine or drug ever invented that doesn’t carry some risk. Some people will no doubt have serous, possibly life threatening reactions to it.
Penicillin has saved millions of lives but I’m sure it has also killed thousands as well.
People are looking for a way to de-risk life here and that isn’t possible.

erol · Post by **erol** » Sun 06 Sep 2020 11:27 am

EnjoyingTheSun wrote: ↑
Sun 06 Sep 2020 7:35 am
Penicillin has saved millions of lives but I’m sure it has also killed thousands as well. People are looking for a way to de-risk life here and that isn’t possible.

Speaking for just myself and not 'people', It is not about looking for ways to de-risk but about not yet being able to know the degree of risk. I know what the risk / reward ratio is in regard to penicillin.

The questions are about what we do in the scenario where we have to make decisions before the risk / reward ratios can be known.

What concerns me is views of certainty before that risk / reward ratio is known. Especially ones based on 'statistical probabilities' of this specific event being a cataclysmic one or not.

Murphy · Post by **Murphy** » Sun 06 Sep 2020 11:55 am

So hearing the news that you have to isolate in a government approved hotel/residence from tomorrow, and possibly up until a decision is made otherwise. Does that mean your travel arrangements have been disrupted? Like in Hectors instance, if he had bought Turkish Airlines tickets that cannot be amended i.e refunded/cancelled?

I am sure with even the budget tickets bought from Turkish Airways you can make changes?

EnjoyingTheSun · Post by **EnjoyingTheSun** » Sun 06 Sep 2020 11:59 am

erol wrote: ↑
Sun 06 Sep 2020 11:27 am
Speaking for just myself and not 'people', It is not about looking for ways to de-risk but about not yet being able to know the degree of risk. I know what the risk / reward ratio is in regard to penicillin.

The questions are about what we do in the scenario where we have to make decisions before the risk / reward ratios can be known.

What concerns me is views of certainty before that risk / reward ratio is known. Especially ones based on 'statistical probabilities' of this specific event being a cataclysmic one or not.

I don't know the risk/reward stats on penicillin either but I know it has saved millions of lives and I know every single time you buy antibiotics they ask if you are allergic to penicillin so I'm guessing there is a pretty big downside and its probably more common than you think.
For example I have been asked in restaurants whether I have a nut allergy but it is a rare occurrence and I know that can kill you.
So the point remains if people are waiting on vaccines as the fix all solution, it won't be. If everyone takes the vaccine which is going to be rushed, let's be realistic, it could kill more people than if everyone catches covid-19.

I think it is pretty obvious by now that covid-19 isn't a cataclysmic event. That's not to say there haven't been a lot of deaths but generally the worldwide reaction hasn't been so efficient as to think we saved life on earth here.

The fact of the matter is I think now it is finally seeping through to some that the lock down was a cataclysmic economic event and even now I don't think it is totally hitting home. You see reports that phew it's not going to be the worst recession since the 1700s only in the last 100 years. So we dodged a bullet there!
100 years takes us back to the thirties depression. The depression that we all did in history. The depression that a lot of us can no doubt remember talking to people from that generation in our youth and remember that would send a shudder up their spine while fighting in the Second World War didn't.

Without minimising covid I still think we've tried to stop a cold with chemotherapy

erol · Post by **erol** » Sun 06 Sep 2020 12:13 pm

ETS - we should take this to a new thread. I can not be arsed but if you do I will reply.

alphamike · Post by **alphamike** » Sun 06 Sep 2020 1:49 pm

Decision has been changed for no quarantine for those who come for 3 days, to be only officials, not general public.
http://www.yeniduzen.com/saglik-bakanli ... 31148h.htm

Sultan · Post by **Sultan** » Sun 06 Sep 2020 2:45 pm

I think it is preferable to base risk evaluations on best evidence provided by science and scientists using scientific method!

A study (see below) published in 2013 using electronic health record databases reviewed health information on over 13 million vaccinated persons and compared causes of death in the vaccinated study population to the general US population. The death rate 1 or 2 months following vaccination was lower than that in the general US population, and the causes of death were similar

[28]. This study provides convincing evidence that vaccinations are not associated with an increased risk of death at the population level.McCarthy NL, Weintraub E, Vellozzi C, Duffy J, Gee J, Donahue JG, et al. Mortality rates and cause-of-death patterns in a vaccinated population. Am J Prev Med. 2013;45(1):91–7. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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