Filenews 15 December 2020
Important questions about vaccination are answered by the Ministry of Health for information to the public.
1.Is vaccination against coronavirus mandatory?
The Government's intention is to provide full vaccination coverage to the population, since this is a serious public health issue. The vaccine will be given free of charge to those citizens who wish to do so.
2. How will Cyprus obtain crown vaccines?
The procedure for securing vaccines is carried out through a centralised procedure by the European Union and is common to all Member States. The European Commission has concluded an agreement with six pharmaceutical companies that are now in the process of developing vaccines or are in the final stage of licensing and marketing the vaccine.
3. What does the eu's centralised process provide us with?
Firstly, through the centralised process, we ensure the quantity we need to cover our population, at the same time as all the countries of the Union, and regardless of the size of our market, while we obtain vaccines at the same cost as all other states. As a market with little bargaining power, Cyprus lags behind in terms of accessibility to innovative medicines – such as the COVID-19 vaccine – but also in terms of the time it procures these medicinal products. This joint action therefore ensures the timely supply of vaccines at a significantly lower economic cost than if each State took action individually.
It is also very important because it enables us to know what the flow of vaccines will be. When the various quantities will be received, which will contribute to vaccination planning.
4.How will vaccines be stored?
As mentioned above, agreements have been signed with six companies using different technologies. Each agreement also specifies how vaccines are to be stored and stored. The necessary steps have been taken by the Ministry of Health to ensure the cold chain, with the purchase of special refrigerators where necessary, transport containers and a cold chain monitoring system.
Their storage will be central and will be transferred to the Pharmacies of the Organization of State Health Services, where they will then be channelled to the 38 Vaccination Centres that exist in Cyprus, but also to other places where vaccinations are likely to take place.
5.When are the first quantities of vaccines expected in Cyprus?
It is important to reiterate that Cyprus will receive the first batch of vaccines, followed by all the quantities it has ordered, at the same time as the other EU countries.
The first batch of Pfizer-Biontech vaccine is expected in early January, and a second batch from the same company will be received in the first quarter of 2021. It is estimated that the first quantities of Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines will also be received in Q1 2021.
The timetable in the plan drawn up depends on the final dates to be announced on the basis of the evaluations of each application. There are reflexes to adjust the dates so that we can respond accordingly.
6.What are the key steps for vaccination?
Vaccination will be carried out in vaccination centres in Cyprus by health professionals (Health Visitors) who have been sufficiently trained to administer the vaccine to citizens who wish to do so. Up to 100 different workshops can be operated simultaneously.
Vaccination will be done by nominal appointment, which can be scheduled by the person himself or his representative through the Vaccination Program Software.
The person will receive a text message on their mobile phone with the details of their appointment, and there is also the possibility to send a reminder.
Vaccination will be carried out at the Vaccination Centre declared by each citizen and proof of administration of the 1st dose will be provided either electronically or in paper form (vaccination card).
At the same time as the 1st dose is administered, an appointment for the 2nd dose will be arranged.
7. Should people receiving the vaccine remain restricted until the 2nd dose is given?
No, a citizen who receives the first dose of the vaccine does not need to remain in confinement until the 2nd dose. The usual practice is followed as is the case with any other vaccine.
8. Will vaccination for coronavirus be repeated at regular intervals or will it only be done once?
At this stage, we are not in a position to know. The first volunteers to get the vaccine took it at the beginning of the summer, so it will be something we will know when one year after the vaccine is administered to the volunteers. What we know at the moment is that vaccines protect against serious disease, so we aim to reduce hospitalizations and deaths.
9. Which population groups can receive the vaccine?
Each vaccine will have its own characteristics. Some are tested in specific population groups, age groups, or other characteristics. Some may be recommended for a population, some may not be recommended. Vaccines approved will be approved on the same basis as efficacy and safety criteria.
10.Has the population groups given priority to vaccination been prioritised?
In collaboration with the Advisory Scientific Committee on Coronavirus, but also on the basis of the clinical studies carried out by each company, a priority list has been made for the groups of the population who will be invited to receive the vaccine.
11. According to the plan drawn up, when are the above groups of
the population expected to be vaccinated?
Subject to the completion of
procedures for the approval of applications for authorisation and circulation
of vaccines by the European Medicines Agency and their distribution to the
Member States and without changing the quantities committed to each batch,
vaccinations should be carried out as follows:
|
Category of
citizens |
Total number of citizens |
Vaccination period |
|
Senior People’s Homes/Institutions
for Chronic adult illnesses |
2,294 staff |
January 2021 |
|
3,882 residents |
||
|
Health Professionals(ICU, Accident
and Emergency Departments, Ambulance Departments, Hospital Departments with
Covid-19 chambers) |
1,000 |
January 2021 |
|
Persons > 80 years old |
33,530 |
Vaccination will begin in January
2021 and completed the 1st quarter of 2021 |
|
Persons >75 years old |
27,667 |
1st quarter of
2021 |
|
Persons >= 16 years of high risk
for severe disease |
|
1st and 2nd
quarter of 2021 |
The main goal, provided that
deadlines are kept, is within the first half of 2021 to have completed the
vaccination coverage of more than 40% of the Cyprus citizens, which includes
the elderly and people working in closed structures, as well as healthcare
professionals and people at high risk for serious illness. In this way, the
protection of these people from possible infection with the virus will be
achieved, while hospitals will be discharged of hospitalizations and deaths of
COVID-19 patients and consequently the Health System will be protected.
