First of all, if you have an elderly friend or neighbour [who is in the 80+ age bracket] please offer your assistance to help them through the process of registering for the vaccine on the GESY system. The age brackets have changed today, so from now on vaccinations will be for the 90+ group, then in two-year age bands, starting with 88-89, then 86-87, etc. There is at least one GP in Paphos who is working very hard to help the older residents through the process, but some are not. Some of the older residents may be unaware of the vaccination programme, or be sat waiting for a phone call to tell them when their appointment will be. It may be that some are not GESY registered - in which case please see how they can register for the vaccine at the end of this article.
Please bear in mind that the portal and medical record can be linked NOW - you do not have to wait for the appropriate age group to be released for appointments.
There appears to be some misinformation circulating.
1 What is the portal? I do not know what you are talking about. The portal is effectively the entrance to the GESY system which is the equivalent of your medical file. The entrance part of the portal relates to your personal information [name, date of birth, address, contact details].
The first step that you need to take is to link the portal, ie your personal information, with your medical file online. Until this has been done, you will not be able to access the vaccine booking system. There are separate instructions as to how you can link the two records, and there is also a Help guide on the GESY site once you have input your system log-in details to gain access to your personal information.
2 I am waiting for the Government to ring me to tell me when my appointment will be. The Government will not ring you to tell you when your vaccination appointment will be. As this is the process in the UK, some think that it applies in Cyprus also. It does not. Appointments must be obtained via the GESY system online. In addition, the Government is currently only inviting appointments from those who are aged 90+.
3 You have to travel to the UK to obtain your vaccination if you are a UK expat. This is not the case. Vaccination against Covid will be provided in Cyprus under GESY.
4 What about the quality of the vaccine? Before any vaccine is given to any resident, the European Union has a procedure which has to be followed to check the claims of the drug rigorously before they will authorise its use in the EU. There are then procedures in place to check batches of the vaccine to ensure that standards are maintained. Only EU approved vaccines will be used by any country in the EU.
5 I am not registered for GESY as I can afford to fund any medical treatment required privately and/or I am not registered as a permanent resident of Cyprus anyway. If you are not a member of GESY, there is a process to follow so you can obtain a vaccine. [see below] It is not possible to purchase the vaccine separately. The Covid vaccine is only available through GESY. You will only be able to arrange an appointment once your application has been approved, AND you fall within the age group being offered the vaccine. So, if you are 76, you will have to wait for your appointment until the vaccine is opened up to those 75+ but please apply for a permit now as it is not known how long the approval process will take.
6 There is no provision for the vaccine on my GESY record. Unless you have linked your GESY portal account with your beneficiary record/medical history, you will not be able to move to the next step of booking a vaccine appointment. The records must be linked to enable you to move to the next stage. Once your records are linked, you will see the vaccine icon [a syringe] on the left hand side of the page. Remember the system will not allow you to book an appointment unless you fall within the correct age group.
7 I am 79 and keep on getting rejected by the system when I try and book an appointment. This is because currently vaccinations can only be booked by those aged 90+. The system will block anyone who is under age 90 from booking an appointment, although it is possible for a younger person to access the system to book an appointment for someone who is 90+.
The age band has been sub-categorised as it is felt that this will allow fairer access to the vaccine. The next band to be released will be the 88-89 age bracket, then the 86-87, and so on, in two-year bands. Once the new age-band is released, anyone over that age who has still to register will still be able to do so, but anyone under the age of the nominated age range will be blocked.
8 I saw that bookings were available from Monday 18th January, at 9am. I tried at mid-day and the system told me that there was no vaccine. As delivery of the vaccine is erratic, appointment slots are only released according to the quantity of vaccine which has been delivered [with half of each delivery being retained for the second dose]. As demand is high, the available slots are being snapped up very quickly. Keep an eye open for when the next slots will be available [usually a Monday at 9am] and aim to be onto the system promptly! BUT please ensure you have linked your portal account with your beneficiary record/medical history [this can be done now, you don't have to wait until appointment slots are released for your age group] otherwise you will not be able to book an appointment. Remember, appointments are being released according to your age - currently 90+, then it will be 88-89, then 86-87, etc.
9 My wife and I want to book appointments for the same time. Is this possible? Yes - if you both fall in the same age group, but would suggest that you book an appointment later in the day so you can guarantee that the two of you can go at the same time. If one of you grabs an appointment at, say, 9am, it may be that by the time your partner goes onto the system, all appointments around this time will have gone. You will both need to access the system either at the same time [if you have two devices] or one immediately after the other.
10 I am unsure if I should be having the vaccine in view of the medication/medical treatment I am taking/undergoing. What should I do? It is essential that you speak to your GP/medical practitioner for guidance before you book an appointment. There is a disclaimer on the system which you will need to read and accept before you can book your appointment.
11 I have a couple of allergies. Will it be ok for me to have the vaccine? Again, you must speak to your GP/medical practitioner before you book an appointment. When you have your appointment you will be asked if you have any allergies before they give you the injection. If you carry an epi pen, please ensure you have it with you, just in case.
12 I have successfully booked my appointment to have the vaccine. I understand that I need to have two Covid tests to ensure I do not have the virus before the appointment, and that I have to pay for these tests myself. Once you have your booked appointment, there is nothing more for you to do. You certainly do NOT need 2 Covid tests before you can have the vaccine. When you go for your vaccine appointment, you will need a form of identification with you [passport, ID card, or MEU document, plus GESY paperwork]. You will be asked about any allergies, be given the vaccine, and be allocated your appointment for your second and final dose of the vaccine. If you do have allergies and have an epi pen, it is recommended that you have this with you. As mentioned in 10 and 11 above, you must check with your doctor if you have any concerns about whether or not you should have the vaccine.
OBTAINING THE COVID VACCINATION IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER OF GESY
Citizens not registered on the General Healthcare System’s (GESY) portal who wish to be vaccinated within the framework of the National Vaccinations Plan for Covid-19, must submit a duly completed document to register on Cyprus Portal for Covid-19 Vaccinations.
This form can be found in a downloadable format on the website of the Ministry of Health and the Press and Information Office’s website on coronavirus. - Coronavirus - vaccine
The Document must be submitted together with a copy of the interested party’s Identification Card, Alien Registration Card or other identification document [eg passport], as well as a copy of that person’s medical card, if applicable.
All documents should be sent to the Ministry of Health, by email to covidvac@moh.gov.cy, by post to the following address: 1 Prodromou and 17 Chilonos, 1449 Nicosia, or delivered by hand to the Medical Card Sector, Ministry of Health, 1 Prodromou and 17 Chilonos, Nicosia.
After carrying out a validity check for the application and upon its approval, the Ministry of Health will activate the applicant’s possibility to register on the Covid-19 Vaccinations Portal. However, you will only be able to book an appointment once you fall within the approved age category.
The applicant will be informed of the Ministry of Health’s decision to approve or reject his/her request, so as to access the Covid-19 Vaccinations Online Portal in order to arrange an appointment for the vaccination, at a Vaccination Centre, at the date and time of his/her convenience - and when the applicant falls into the approved age category.
