Filenews 4 December 2020 - by Marilena Panagi
The numbers recorded in Cyprus began to scare, as the Government prepares to re-enter the battle for data evaluation and new decision-making. Everyone's eyes are on the long-awaited vaccine against coronavirus. Scientists are pleased with the developments, stress that it will be safe and a powerful weapon against the pandemic, but they recommend optimism in moderation, explaining that the vaccine will not end the transmission of the virus, but will prevent disease and especially severe disease in people belonging to high-risk groups, which of course they stress, is "particularly important".
Yesterday's report on Cyprus is breathtaking. Two more deaths were added to the pandemic list, bringing the total number to 54, while a new record number of cases was recorded with 348 new cases resulting from 3,624 molecular tests, meaning that about one in ten samples tested tested positive.
Even more worrying is the fact that 60 of the new incidents resulted from checks at two nursing homes in nicosia province with the most involving elderly people. The 11 from the nursing home "Agios Antonios" and the 49 from the nursing home "Golden Age". In the "Golden Age", according to the Ministry of Health, a positive incident had been detected in the previous days in a member of staff. In "Agios Antonios", on 26 November, two cases were reported, followed by a second check resulting in today's incidents.
At the same time, 162 positive results were announced from the rapid diagnostic tests, while in hospitals there were 124 patients with 14 in the Intensive Care Unit and another five receiving mechanical support in the Increased Care Unit.
The Government began to put the data on the scale once again, while Health Minister Konstantinos Ioannou stressed in his statements that "there is an increase in Larnaca, Famagusta and Nicosia", pointing out that "the "positivity" rate of rapid diagnostic tests reaching 1.72%, on a pancyprian scale, is not small and we should not be fooled by the number because the safety limit is below 1%". He noted at the same time that in some provinces, "such as Larnaca and Famagusta it is much larger".
In the bad data of the last few days, there is a ray of light - the developments that run at breakneck speed internationally and concern the vaccine against the coronavirus, with scientists of course presenting themselves very satisfied but stressing that with the start of the administration of the vaccine to the population "does not mean that all our problems will be solved".
Pharmacology professor Nikolas Deitis explained in a statement that "the vaccine prevents COVID disease, but there appears to be no data to prevent infection". As he characteristically stated, "9 out of 10 who will receive this vaccine will not get sick and probably will not have symptoms, but there may be a possibility of infection without someone noting and can transmit the infection to another person". He added, "Pfizer's vaccine, which has now been approved in Great Britain and is being evaluated by the European Medicines Agency, has been approved for administration to people over the age of 16 and certain vulnerable groups will not be able to be vaccinated in Britain."
"We must not fill the world with optimism that we will have a vaccine and immediately solve our problems," said associate professor in the Pharmacy Program of the University of Nicosia Christos Petrou. "In the beginning, vaccines will come with the eyedropper and it will take time to ensure adequate vaccination coverage," he added, and went on to say that "it is important that we now wait for the necessary authorisations and approvals to be given by the European Medicines Agency and then through EU procedures we as Cyprus will also start receiving the quantities of vaccines that are ours.".
Both professors rejected the rumours circulating, mainly on social media, stressing that vaccines will be safe, since before they are channelled to the states to begin their administration to the population, they will first go through all the necessary procedures for their approval and licensing. They pointed out, at the same time, that vaccines now leading the international 'race' do not contain the virus, but are manufactured on the basis of other technology.
Regarding the arrival of vaccines in Cyprus, Health Minister Konstantinos Ioannou said yesterday that the first batch of vaccines in Cyprus will be enough to cover 24,000 people, stressing that "there should be no complacency regarding compliance with protection measures even when vaccinations start to take place systematically".
Cyprus, Said Mr. Ioannou, is preparing properly and added that for the vaccination of each person two doses are needed which are administered over a period of three weeks, one with the other, "and at the same time after the administration of the second dose the vaccine needs another week to work in the body".
He spoke of the huge impact on victims in the mental hospital who do not perceive the disease and stressed that many people do not go to the doctor because they are afraid of the crown. He also referred to the bilingualism and division of scientists who panic the world and stressed the need for scientists to "communicate our science properly".
All contingencies open
Concern about what will happen at Christmas "prevails throughout Europe," Health Minister Konstantinos Ioannou said in a statement, adding that "scientists internationally are concerned that with any relaxations given, due to the relaxation that will generally affect the world on holiday days we will have a new outbreak."
In relation to the Government's intentions, the Minister of Health said that "if the epidemiological data allow us we will proceed with planning with some easing from 14 December".
If, he added, "the picture does not improve, the good scenario is to extend the existing measures for a longer period. The bad scenario is to make them even stricter. It's all possible, we're dealing with a virus, an invisible enemy, and we can't predict what's going to happen. If we observe the measures, then the situation will improve. Measures succeed if there is discipline in them," he concluded.
