Sample taking for free Covid tests is continuing for the second consecutive day in AradippouĀ as epidemioligists seek a clearer picture of the extent of contagion in the community after a disproportionately high number of positive cases.
Mayor Evangelos Evangelides said that 153 samples were taken yesterday from people in the front line — that is owners and employees at supermarkets, groceries, bakeries, pharmacies, green grocers and kiosks.
Another 200 will be taken today with people known to have come into contact with the 39 Aradippou residents who have tested positive.
He said that together with samples taken at the initiative and partly subsidised by the municipality, the total number of samples will total 500.
Results on Monday will allow scientists to map the situation in Aradippou and decide on future action.
Asked about reports that parts of the community may be quarantined,Ā the mayor said this would not be easy to do but there are many ways to deal with the problem.
“We will await the results from the samples and then we will see exactly and which way any decisions taken should be implemented,” he said.
Introducing a quarantine would be difficult as the municipality was quite large and there were professionals and farmers that need to go to their work every day, he said adding that all issues will be discussed with the government.
The mayor said that initially the municipality had not been informed about the extent of the problem in the community.
“If the municipal council knew what was happening it could have helped earlier on, taken the appropriate measures and we would not have reached the situation of having this high number of confirmed cases. Residents are concerned, but they are complying with the decrees,” he said.
And he said that the municipality should have a say on any decisions that may be taken which affects its residents.
