Filenews 20 September 2021
Next Thursday, the bi-communal Technical Committee on Health will exchange epidemiological data and according to the decision they took at the last session, if the data allow it, it can be decided not to need PCR or rapid tests for those vaccinated during the passages through the barricades, from September 27, according to Dr. Deren Oygar.
As reported by the Turkish Cypriot media, the "deputy minister of health" and "chairman" of the "supreme committee of infectious diseases" said that on both sides there is a decrease in the number of cases detected and if this decline continues, it is very likely that a decision can be taken to move from September 27 to the second category, orange and not require molecular testing or antigen testing for transits.
There will be, he added, no change for the unvaccinated who are asked for PCR or rapid test, 72 hours.
Ms. Oygar said that the Technical Committee met last Friday and also discussed the issues of the European vaccination certificate for the Turkish Cypriots and the return of the AstraZeneca vaccines.
On the European vaccination certificate, Ms. Oygar said that in Friday's session they were told that no other application is ready for the Turkish Cypriots apart from the link, which has been given and is valid until September 30th. When another application is ready, they will be informed about it by the Greek Cypriot side, he added.
Mrs Oygar said that 40,000 doses of AstraZeneca received from the EU would be returned – as she said – on 3 and 10 August. So far, he added, there have been 13,000 – 14,000 vaccinations with this vaccine in the occupied territories. The remaining doses, he continued, have not been used and have an expiry date of October 30, saying that in such a short period of time it is not feasible to use the re-left quantity. "If we knew that the expiration date was so short, we wouldn't get such a large amount in the first place. We have proposed to return the 40,000 doses so that these vaccines are not wasted and so that people who do not have access to vaccines can use them. The request was welcomed."
Noting that this vaccine has good coverage against mutation D, Ms. Oygar said that there was still no demand from people. Because, he continued, students are expected in the occupied end of September - early October, but the vaccines expire at the end of October, they will not be able to use them.
According to information from the "ministry of education," he said, there are currently 30,000 students in the occupied territories and another 30,000 are expected from Turkey and 20,000 from third countries. There is, he added, a sufficient amount to vaccinate all of them.
He also said that to date there have been 431,232 vaccines. According to Ms. Oygar, 218,479 people, or 57.19% of the population, have been vaccinated with the first dose and 212,753 with two doses or a rate of 55.69%.
