Filenews 29 December 2020
On the basis of the Decree of the Minister of Health, dated 4 November 2020, and following recommendations from the Advisory Scientific Committee on Coronavirus, the list of categories of citizens with risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease has been updated, with the addition of category 14 as listed below.
It should be noted that persons falling within the following categories of citizens with risk factors for serious COVID-19 disease, who are not employed in individual workplaces, but either come into contact with the public or work in a common workplace with other persons and cannot maintain the appropriate distances, then the competent Department/Service/Authority/Ministry makes the necessary internal arrangements for them to be able to carry out their work in an individual workplace.
Pre-existing Chronic Respiratory Disease (e.g. severe bronchial asthma, chronic oxygen therapy or non-invasive ventilation [CPAP or BiPaP] at home, severe pulmonary hypertension (NYHA III and IV), severe pulmonary fibrosis, pneumonectomy/lobectomy).
Severe Chronic Kidney Deficiency (creatinine clearance below 15 ml/min and hemodialyzed).
Cardiac arrhythmia with permanent defibrillator or heart disease with permanent defibrillator and amphibious pacemaker.
Heart Deficiency of any etiology (Ischemic or non-etiology) stage by NYHA III or IV.
Cardiovascular disease:
Recent acute coronary syndrome or re-vascular surgery: angioplasty or stent implantation in the last 12 months,
Aortic-coronary bypass (CABG (bypass)) in the last 12 months, and
Recent GNI in the last 12 months or with established neurological semantics.
Cardiopathies (History of documented myocarditis, hypertrophic, operative, invasive (amyloidosis)).
Congenital heart disease after surgical correction with significant residual damage or uncorrected congenital heart disease with significant residual damage.
Active use of biological agents (e.g. TNF inhibitors, interleukin inhibitors) or other immunosuppressive drugs.
Active chronic intake of corticosteroids (≥20mg of predison or its equivalent for ≥ 1 month).
Patients with a history of transplantation of solid organs or primordial hematopoietic cells.
Patients with solid organ or esmatological malignancy receiving chemotherapy or radiation or immunotherapy.
Patients with HIV or patients with CD4 lymphocyte number < 200/mm3.
Hereditary or acquired immunodeficiency.
Patients with haemoglobin diseases falling into Category C – Patients with a very high risk, in accordance with the recommendations of the International Federation of Thalassemia.
It is noted that the categories have been selected on the basis of the existing international literature and taking into account the epidemiological data of the COVID-19 disease epidemic in the international arena and in the Republic of Cyprus.
Source: eyenews
