Cyprus Mail 10 June 2020 - by Elias Hazou
People in both vulnerable groups – A and B – who have been working from home since the pandemic outbreak will be required to return to their workplaces as of Saturday.
Cabinet on Wednesday has decided to abolish special arrangements concerning people in vulnerable groups, both group A and B. Last week it was announced that just those in group A had to return to work on on June 13. This has been expanded to include group B.
“Therefore, people, who, due to the conditions caused by the coronavirus have been working from home, will have to take the necessary actions to return to work from June 12, 2020 at midnight,” the health ministry said in a written statement.
In the ‘A’ group are:
Persons over 65 years of age.
Pre-existing respiratory disease (e.g. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma of moderate severity)
Chronic renal failure (creatinine clearance 15-30 ml / min).
Type 1 and/or diabetes mellitus with target organ damage (chronic renal failure, cardiovascular disease, retinopathy, chronic peripheral neuropathy).
Nosocomial obesity BMI> 40.
Hemoglobinopathies (homozygous homozygous, sickle cell anaemia).
Chronic liver failure Child-Pugh C.
Severe genetic coagulation disorders.
Neuromuscular diseases.
Pregnant women, regardless of gestational age, and mothers who are breastfeeding.
Those In the second category, group B, were those with:
Pre-existing Chronic Respiratory Disease (e.g. severe bronchial asthma, patients on chronic oxygen therapy or non-invasive ventilation [CPAP or BiPaP] at home, severe pulmonary hypertension (NYHA III and IV), severe pulmonary fibrosis).
Severe Chronic Renal Failure (creatinine clearance <15 ml / min and hemodialysis).
Heart arrhythmia with permanent defibrillator or heart disease with permanent defibrillator and amphibole pacemaker.
Heart failure of any etiology (ischemic or non-ischemic) stage according to NYHA III or IV.
Congenital heart disease after surgical correction with significant residual impairment or non-corrected congenital heart disease with significant residual impairment.
Active use of biological agents (e.g. TNF inhibitors, interleukin inhibitors) or other immunosuppressive drugs.
Active chronic corticosteroid administration (≥ 20mg prednisone or equivalent for ≥ 1 month).
Patients with a history of transplantation of solid organs or primordial hematopoietic cells.
Patients with co-morbid or hematological malignancies receiving chemotherapy or radiation or immunotherapy.
Patients with HIV or patients with CD4 lymphocyte count <200 / mm3.
Hereditary or acquired immunodeficiency.
Cardiovascular diseases:
1) Recent acute coronary syndrome or vascular surgery: angioplasty or stent implantation in the last 12 months.
2) Aortic-coronary bypass (CABG (bypass)) in the last 12 months.
3) Recent AEE in the last 12 months or with established neurological semiology.
