Filenews 24 July 2021
71.7% have been vaccinated in Cyprus with the first dose and 63.2% with the second dose, according to the Director General of the Ministry of Health Christina Giannakis, while 6,000 citizens have been vaccinated in walk in centres, which operate in Cyprus.
Ms. Giannakis, who visited the walk-in vaccination centre today at the former Prefect's residence along with the Minister of Health Michalis Hatzipantella, the Metropolitan of Paphos Georgios and the Mayor of Paphos Phaedon Phaedon, in statements to journalists, said that "today the rates (vaccination) with the first dose are 71.7 % pancyprian and for the second dose 63.2%".
Also on the walk-ins that have opened in Cyprus have been vaccinated, she said, 6,000 citizens. She also said that for the ages of 16 to 17, about 4,664 were vaccinated.
The DG of the Ministry of Health also said that a very large number of hotel employees were also vaccinated. He added that Paphos is currently taking the lead, sending the message to the world that today in intensive care we have one or two people from Paphos who are intubated. He went on to say that people should continue to be vaccinated, to abide by their measures to reduce intensive care, to reduce pressure on hospitals and to move forward in the well-meaning interests of public health, the economy, ourselves and all our fellow human beings who follow us.
For his part, the Mayor of Paphos Phaedon Phaedon said that on behalf of the Municipality of Paphos he extends warm thanks to Mr. Hatzipantella and Mrs. Giannakis but also to all the medical and paramedical staff and the Director of GN Paphos to have today these results and the highest vaccinations percentage in Cyprus.
Vaccinations, he continued, are combined with near-zero hospitalizations in intensive care. Paphos has usually the lowest rate of positive cases, stressing that this means that some people worked and some people got tired.
At the same time, the Mayor of Paphos noted that with full respect for human rights and the personal choices of everyone, we must consider the collective responsibilities we have towards the economy, society and our country in general. For this, he said, "a huge effort will continue in the city of Paphos to enlighten and inform", stressing, however, "that no one will be forced to be vaccinated and no one will be dragged without their personal choice to be vaccinated".
He also said that with the power of information, vaccination is the right thing to do and science will win. He also said that as a Municipality, Paphos will contribute to the great campaign of further information. The fact that it operates in the same place as a walk-in vaccination centre and workshop to carry out rapid testing is to give, as he said, the choice to non-beneficiaries of the GHS.
In addition, Metropolitan Paphos Georgios in a statement thanked the Minister of Health and the DG of the Ministry of Health for their presence in Paphos in order to promote the issue of vaccinations. The Church, he said, sees vaccines as a blessing, noting that it is something that will be used to intercept the pandemic. At the same time, Paphos Georgios mentioned that God did not create man as an unwitting being, but gave him the freedom and reason to be able to be on foot every day and face difficulties. He continued, God enlightens scientists and doctors to find drugs and vaccines and overcome the difficulty. That is why we believe, he said, "that those who, whether religious or not, put religion forward as an obstacle to being vaccinated is their own personal belief."
Moreover, Xenia Aristotle, Nursing Officer of GN Paphos, said "we promote vaccination and inform people correctly", adding that vaccination, "is a measure against the virus".
In this context of information, he continued, we are trying together all health professionals to vaccinate and promote it.
After all, Lucas Lucas, who was vaccinated today and who had been sick with covid-19 nine months ago, described vaccination as very positive even though, as he said, he was initially a denier. However, he continued, seeing that the condition is serious, he decided to get vaccinated, since the only weapon, as he said, is the vaccine.
It is noted that the centres are a practice already in place in other countries abroad to further strengthen the vaccination effort. In the first phase, beneficiaries of the General Health System (GHS) and later other persons who are not integrated into the health system of Cyprus will be able to be vaccinated.
Walk-ins will not offer repeated doses in people vaccinated with the first dose but only new vaccinations, and the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine will currently be administered.
Please note that those who come to the centre for vaccination should present their identity card.
Cna
