Filenews 26 November 2020
At least ten nursing homes were hit by the coronavirus in November, while more than 250 people have been positively identified by the virus in nursing homes, rehabilitation centres and other closed structures, the President of the Association of Cypriot Pensioners (ESYSY), Costas Scarparis, told the CYPE, who said the price for old age "is very heavy".
Mr Scarparis expressed fears that "a worse situation is ahead", while denouncing "the incomplete measures taken by those responsible in nursing homes, resulting in increased cases of coronavirus among the tenants in recent times".
He even said that according to epidemiologists around 30% of the people currently being treated at Famagusta Hospital are from the rooftops of the elderly, to sound the alarm in the Ministries of Health and Labour that unless additional and stricter measures are taken, this percentage will certainly increase.
He spoke of a "tragic situation" in nursing homes and other closed structures, noting that those responsible "must see the mistakes made to date and correct them, because it does not take us every day to hear about a new battered nursing home".
He stressed the need for the competent Department of the Ministry of Labour to take more stringent and effective measures in nursing homes and with more frequent and strict controls, in order to enforce the implementation of the legislation and all the protocols of the Ministry of Health, which, he argues, "appear that since they have not paid off, they should be differentiated".
It points out that crown tests should be carried out on all staff and elderly people in nursing homes on a more regular basis, which should be made available free of charge.
Protocols are strictly adhered to, the State Department says. Health
For her part, the Press Officer of the Ministry of Health, Margarita Kyriakou, assured that the protocols, which have been recently updated, are strictly adhered to and that the competent Ministry is trying in a variety of ways to prevent the introduction of the virus from the community into nursing homes.
As he said the most important thing is that visitors to these places have been banned and that the only ones who can carry the virus at the moment in nursing homes are the workers.
In response to a question, Ms Kyriakou said that for the third time a PCR testing programme is being carried out on nursing home workers and closed structures, which is completed within the next few days.
He explained that when the program is completed, Rapid tests will begin once a week to screen workers, and noted that once a month the elderly will be screened.
"The people who work in these places have a responsibility now," he said.
It also said that in order to ensure proper surveillance and control of these sites (nursing homes, rehabilitation centres and other closed structures), a key supporting factor is the enlightenment of addresses and staff, for the current updated health protocols and measures.
"Already," he said, "the establishment of a team, consisting of 40 volunteer medical school students, has been announced since yesterday, which has been set up and trained and which, through a follow-up form that has been prepared, undertakes both the training on the measures and the on-the-spot monitoring of their implementation".
He said the move aims to create a communication channel with these structures in order to clarify measures and protocols and to provide the guidance needed to protect workers, especially tenants.
Source: eyenews/CYPE
