Filenews 12 January 2021 - by Marilena Panagi
A significant decrease in the number of rapid antigen detection tests was recorded in the previous days, since, as the Ministry of Health finds, citizens no longer come, at the rate they previously came, to the various sampling points.
"Not going to take tests so we don't get positive is like hiding the problem under the carpet," Health Minister Anastasia Anthousis' office manager told "F", noting that, "of the 15,000 -20,000 tests we have had every day, in recent days we have recorded much smaller numbers of 8,000 and 9,000 tests."
This is also one of the reasons why, as he said, "the strategy has changed and we have now targeted companies that remain open under decrees."
At the same time, "and because we have heard from citizens that they do not want to "spend" the sms they are entitled to around the clock to take tests, to mention that many of the sampling units are placed next to supermarkets so that citizens can combine their shopping with the check for corona".
Carrying out a large number of checks among citizens, "is a very important factor that will contribute in combination with the measures in place", the Ministry of Health said in a statement, adding that "the aim is to identify and isolate positive incidents in a timely manner and to prevent the spread and transmission of the virus, particularly in workplaces and in the intra-family environment".
"In the last two days," according to the health ministry, "units have been placed in places that citizens visit anyway, such as supermarkets and industrial areas. This is to make it easier for citizens to access controls, without having to send sms, which may act as a deterrent."
Looking to secure 'exemption' to move
A storm of questions to the Health Ministry from citizens asking to be informed of the movements they are entitled to make without sending a text message and obtaining approval.
"The point is to reduce our movements and not to look for exceptions to the sending of sms," Health Ministry press officer Margarita Kyriakou said in a statement to "F".
"The message to the citizens is clear: the aim of the measures is to limit social contacts, social activities and contacts in the workplace, because that is the only way to stop the spread of the virus in the community."
"The ideal," he added, "would be to be able to personalize the measures according to the specificities and needs of each individual citizen. This is certainly impossible for obvious reasons, which is why we need everyone's cooperation to achieve our goal."
The fact, Said Mrs Kyriakou, "that on the first day of implementation of the measures more than 378,000 sms movements were recorded shows that we may not have fully understood why these measures have been imposed. That is why, once again, we appeal to citizens not to move when there is no need and, above all, to avoid contact with other people if this is not absolutely necessary."
Without sms we can move
> For a pet walk.
> For individual sports within a 500 m radius of our residence.
> For the transport of children to and from kindergartens.
> For people who fall within the autism spectrum and their escorts.
> Without sms, employees who continue to have a physical presence at work are allowed to go. Also, if on the way to and from work, there is a sampling unit, employees can stop for tests or if during their work they will be moved for external work, and still can undergo tests. The same applies to workers who want to be tested in plants located in industrial areas.
> If a citizen sends a text message to go to the supermarket and the supermarket area is sampled, he does not need to send a second sms.
Before it opened, the "Vaccination Portal" was closed.
For only a few hours the "Vaccination Portal" was left open yesterday, since all available appointments were exhausted in record time. At 8 a.m., the nicosia province was "closed" and the other provinces followed successively, resulting in, just before 2 p.m., the "Gate" being closed, as the planning for the vaccinations of the week, which takes place on the basis of the vaccine stocks that exist in Cyprus, had reached 100%.
3,960 appointments had been exhausted in no time, as it was found from the entries in the electronic system that dozens of citizens had proceeded to arrange the vaccination of the elderly over 80 on Sunday midnight.
The incident even provoked reactions as some were quick to argue that some citizens had an 'instrument' and were informed that the 'Gate' would open at midnight. Of course, this was not the case since it is an electronic system which is automatically regulated. However, in order to avoid similar phenomena in the coming weeks, the Ministry of Health announced yesterday that from next Monday and every Monday, the "Vaccination Portal" will open at 9 a.m. and not at 00:01 as happened in the first two weeks of the vaccination program. Vaccinations are still restricted to people over 80 years of age.
Meanwhile, a problem, for a few hours, was also observed yesterday in the automatic texting to confirm the appointments arranged for vaccination. However, the problem, as announced by the Ministry of Innovation, was resolved and the text messages were then sent even with sufficient delay.
A new batch arrived yesterday from Pfizer
Yesterday afternoon it was expected that Pfizer's new batch of vaccines would arrive in Cyprus, which included, as every week, 6,825 doses, i.e. about 3,400 vaccines. At the same time and as announced by the Ministry of Health, by Wednesday, possibly this evening, the first batch of vaccines of the company "moderna" is expected to arrive in Cyprus, but the number of doses will be much smaller since as we are informed it will not exceed 1,200, i.e. 600 vaccines. It is recalled that from this company, Cyprus has to receive about 16,500 instalments for the first quarter of 2021.
A letter to the 27 ministers of health is sent by St. Kyriakidou
A letter to EU health ministers requesting information "with the necessary transparency on how they comply with the provisions of the EU vaccine strategy" is expected to be sent by EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakidou at the request of the President of the Commission. According to Commission spokesman Eric Mamer, "the President has asked Commissioner Kyriakidou to send a letter to all health ministers asking them to inform the Commission with the necessary transparency on how they comply with the provisions of the EU vaccine strategy in the context of contacts or non-contacts with pharmaceutical companies with which we negotiate. This letter is written and will be sent when it is ready."
