The vaccination plan of the Ministry of Health for this winter was communicated by the Health Insurance Organization to the personal doctors of the General Health System.
It covers seasonal influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), with priority given to those at higher risk of severe disease. Vaccines and protection preparations for RSV are included in the special plan for the period 2026-2027 and are available, as every year, free of charge by the Ministry of Health.
Efluelda first for those over 60 years of age
Check with your GP as many are providing flu vaxx for their patients.
Beneficiaries of the flu vaccine are all citizens over the age of six months. The first vaccinations are scheduled for the first ten days of October with Efluelda, which will only be administered to people over 60 years of age, subject to availability. For Vaxigrip TIV, which can be given from the age of six months, a new announcement will follow.
Priority is given to vulnerable groups and those at increased risk. These include:
People with chronic lung disease
Severe heart disease.
Immunosuppression.Transplant history
Diabetes
Severe obesity
Chronic kidney or liver disease
Neurological or neuromuscular diseases.
The plan of the Ministry of Health also includes pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy, women who have recently given birth and are breastfeeding.
Recommendations also include children and adults taking long-term aspirin, people caring for vulnerable patients or in close contact with infants under six months of age, health workers and people living or working in closed structures. The personal doctor will determine the vaccination sequence, taking into account each patient's history and available quantities.
The Ministry of Health includes in its recommendations for vaccination people belonging to specific groups, such as conscripts, especially those who enlist in the winter months, as well as professionals who systematically come into contact with poultry, such as veterinarians and poultry farmers.
Beneficiaries of the GHS, as every year, will arrange their appointments for vaccination with their personal doctor, adult or children. Non-beneficiaries, as well as beneficiaries who choose to receive the flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time, will be able to contact the vaccination centers of the Ministry of Health.
The HIO called on personal doctors to order the first doses of Efluelda by September 27, with a maximum of 150 vaccines per order. Distribution is estimated to begin in the period September 28 to October 2. In its briefing, the Health Insurance Organization clarifies that the delivery is coordinated by a private company contracted with the Ministry of Health and that it does not determine the exact time of receipt from each clinic.
Coronavirus: Vaccination centers and home service
Vaccination for Covid-19 will only take place at the official vaccination centres in the General Hospitals or where home service is required - it will not be available at GP surgeries
The COVID-19 vaccine is available for people over six months of age, with priority given to vulnerable groups and especially those over 60 years of age.
Increased risk groups include, among others, pregnant women, health workers, residents of closed structures and people with serious chronic diseases or immunosuppression.
People over the age of 12 will be served without an appointment at the adult vaccination centers. For children from six months to 11 years old, an appointment at the Maternity Protection and Child Welfare Centers is required.
When entering the vaccination centers, citizens must present an identification document, while for children, the required consent forms are required from the parents.
According to the vaccination plan, vaccination against COVID-19 can be done four months after the previous dose, while after a positive test there must be at least three months.
For people with severe immunosuppression, an additional dose is provided four to six months after the previous one, following a written recommendation from their doctor.
For residents of nursing homes and other closed structures, vaccinations will be carried out by the nurses of the structures in collaboration with personal doctors.
The home vaccination of bedridden patients for COVID-19 and influenza also continues through the home care service of OKYPY.
The relevant application can be submitted electronically by the patient or, when he is unable to, by a person close to him.
RSV: Protection of the Elderly, Pregnant Women and Infants
For RSV, vaccine beneficiaries are people over 75 years of age and people aged 60 to 74 with risk factors. These factors include chronic heart or respiratory disease, end-stage kidney disease, specific complications of diabetes, chronic liver disease, severe obesity and moderate or severe immunodeficiency. Residents of nursing homes are also included.
Vaccination of pregnant women aged at least 18 years, from the 32nd to the 36th week of pregnancy, is provided with the aim of protecting the infant. According to the relevant protocol, the vaccine must be given at least two weeks before delivery so that there is time for antibodies to be transferred to the fetus.
For newborns born between October and March, the nirsevimab monoclonal antibody is prescribed if the mother was not vaccinated against RSV or was vaccinated up to 14 days before delivery. The administration is made before the child is discharged from the maternity hospital or as soon as possible after.
The antibody is also prescribed for newborns up to 35 weeks of gestational age who were hospitalized in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, regardless of their mother's vaccination. The pregnant woman's personal doctor will record the date of her vaccination in a certificate, so that the paediatrician has the information after the birth.
The vaccination plan also covers infants under eight months who are going through their first winter without having received the antibody, as well as children 8 to 24 months who remain at high risk, based on the criteria of the protocol.
170,000 flu vaccines and 125,000 for COVID-19
The Ministry of Health has ordered 170,000 vaccines against seasonal flu, while it has already received the first batches of vaccines against COVID-19. For the latter, 112,722 doses for adults and 11,550 for children are reported, which will arrive in Cyprus in the coming months.
The plan of the Ministry of Health also includes pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy, women who have recently given birth and are breastfeeding.
Recommendations also include children and adults taking long-term aspirin, people caring for vulnerable patients or in close contact with infants under six months of age, health workers and people living or working in closed structures. The personal doctor will determine the vaccination sequence, taking into account each patient's history and available quantities.
The Ministry of Health includes in its recommendations for vaccination people belonging to specific groups, such as conscripts, especially those who enlist in the winter months, as well as professionals who systematically come into contact with poultry, such as veterinarians and poultry farmers.
Beneficiaries of the GHS, as every year, will arrange their appointments for vaccination with their personal doctor, adult or children. Non-beneficiaries, as well as beneficiaries who choose to receive the flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time, will be able to contact the vaccination centers of the Ministry of Health.
The HIO called on personal doctors to order the first doses of Efluelda by September 27, with a maximum of 150 vaccines per order. Distribution is estimated to begin in the period September 28 to October 2. In its briefing, the Health Insurance Organization clarifies that the delivery is coordinated by a private company contracted with the Ministry of Health and that it does not determine the exact time of receipt from each clinic.
Coronavirus: Vaccination centers and home service
Vaccination for Covid-19 will only take place at the official vaccination centres in the General Hospitals or where home service is required - it will not be available at GP surgeries
The COVID-19 vaccine is available for people over six months of age, with priority given to vulnerable groups and especially those over 60 years of age.
Increased risk groups include, among others, pregnant women, health workers, residents of closed structures and people with serious chronic diseases or immunosuppression.
People over the age of 12 will be served without an appointment at the adult vaccination centers. For children from six months to 11 years old, an appointment at the Maternity Protection and Child Welfare Centers is required.
When entering the vaccination centers, citizens must present an identification document, while for children, the required consent forms are required from the parents.
According to the vaccination plan, vaccination against COVID-19 can be done four months after the previous dose, while after a positive test there must be at least three months.
For people with severe immunosuppression, an additional dose is provided four to six months after the previous one, following a written recommendation from their doctor.
For residents of nursing homes and other closed structures, vaccinations will be carried out by the nurses of the structures in collaboration with personal doctors.
The home vaccination of bedridden patients for COVID-19 and influenza also continues through the home care service of OKYPY.
The relevant application can be submitted electronically by the patient or, when he is unable to, by a person close to him.
RSV: Protection of the Elderly, Pregnant Women and Infants
For RSV, vaccine beneficiaries are people over 75 years of age and people aged 60 to 74 with risk factors. These factors include chronic heart or respiratory disease, end-stage kidney disease, specific complications of diabetes, chronic liver disease, severe obesity and moderate or severe immunodeficiency. Residents of nursing homes are also included.
Vaccination of pregnant women aged at least 18 years, from the 32nd to the 36th week of pregnancy, is provided with the aim of protecting the infant. According to the relevant protocol, the vaccine must be given at least two weeks before delivery so that there is time for antibodies to be transferred to the fetus.
For newborns born between October and March, the nirsevimab monoclonal antibody is prescribed if the mother was not vaccinated against RSV or was vaccinated up to 14 days before delivery. The administration is made before the child is discharged from the maternity hospital or as soon as possible after.
The antibody is also prescribed for newborns up to 35 weeks of gestational age who were hospitalized in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, regardless of their mother's vaccination. The pregnant woman's personal doctor will record the date of her vaccination in a certificate, so that the paediatrician has the information after the birth.
The vaccination plan also covers infants under eight months who are going through their first winter without having received the antibody, as well as children 8 to 24 months who remain at high risk, based on the criteria of the protocol.
170,000 flu vaccines and 125,000 for COVID-19
The Ministry of Health has ordered 170,000 vaccines against seasonal flu, while it has already received the first batches of vaccines against COVID-19. For the latter, 112,722 doses for adults and 11,550 for children are reported, which will arrive in Cyprus in the coming months.
