Filenews 30 July 2021
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| Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas |
The new measures against the crown, announced at noon on Friday by the Minister of Health Michalis Hatzipantellas. Among them is the initiation of vaccination in people over 12 years of age with mRNA vaccines (Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna). Vaccination will be voluntary and with necessary consent from parents or legal guardians.
As the Minister stated in his statement:
Unfortunately, the numbers are relentless: Over 400 of our fellow citizens have died of COVID-19 disease. Today, more than 80 of our fellow citizens are being treated in public hospitals in a serious condition. More than 40 of our fellow citizens are in the Intensive Care Unit. Record number, and unprecedentedly high for the data of our little country.
Society, it imposes on us, it orders us, obliges us to stop galloping the deadly virus that endangers the lives of all of us.
We must overcome two towering obstacles that threaten Public Health. One is the interception of the Delta mutation and the second is the reluctance of some of our fellow citizens to vaccinate.
We do not implement political positions, nor do we put forward political views. We will not tire of saying that they are guidelines of the most competent. It's the result of research by the scientific community around the globe.
The only way to stop the emergence of new aggressive strains is vaccination.
The only way to protect ourselves and those around us from the virus, the Delta mutation, and other possible variants that will occur is to complete our vaccination regimen. Danger lurks for everyone. As a whole, the scientific community around the world is "thundering", that the most, the unvaccinated are at risk.
We particularly call on our young people to bring down the wall and take the plunge. To protect grandparents, their parents, themselves and the whole of our society.
The Council of Ministers studied all the data, elaborated the experts' recommendations and decided to take additional measures. We have decided to tighten up some measures to contain the deadly virus before the Health System is pinned down.
They are social protection measures, measures of social sensitivity, measures of social responsibility. They are decisions that respect the choice of every citizen.
The Council of Ministers therefore decided to extend the provisions of the current Decree until 31 August 2021, with the following variations:
• Reduce the maximum number required for safepass demonstration from 20 people to 10 people, including premises/business employees.
• Mandatory SafePass demonstration by all persons aged 12 years and over, including patients, visitors and employees, for entry to OKYY hospitals and private hospitals.
• Mandatory presentation of a certificate of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 disease within the last 180 days or a negative result from a PCR examination valid for 72 hours by all persons aged 12 years and over, including workers and visitors, for entry to nursing homes and other closed structures.
• Non-permanent residents of the Republic entering through the legal gateways must undergo a PCR or rapid antigen test from day 7 from the date of their arrival. Holders of a vaccination or recovery certificate from COVID-19 shall be excluded within the last 180 days.
• Hold celebrations only in adjacent places of religious worship, provided that all attendees hold SafePass, including employees.
• Initiation of vaccination for people aged 12 years and over from Monday, 2 August 2021, with mRNA vaccines (Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna), following the recommendation by the Paediatric Society of Cyprus and the Advisory Scientific Committee on Coronavirus. Vaccination will be voluntary and with necessary consent from parents or legal guardians. Already in several Countries of the European Union, such as France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania and Greece as of today, they are proceeding with the vaccination of children aged 12-15, in an effort to achieve greater protection of the population.
• Free rapid antigen test for citizens holding a COVID-19 recovery certificate within the last 180 days.
The above decisions will be settled by Decree and will be in force until 31 August. More details and information will be provided with a ministry announcement to be issued later.
