Minister of Health, Michalis Hadjipantelas has said on Thursday that currently there is no need for more measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 and said the Ministry is ready to go ahead with the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
In statements to CNΑ, Hadjipantelas was asked if the cabinet intends to proceed with relaxation of measures next week. “It is a little bit hard to do so”, he said, and rejected the possibility of stricter measures now.
He said the measures will remain the same, adding the Cabinet will take decisions regarding the return of students to universities and possibly more decisions about elementary and secondary education schools.
Regarding the third dose of the vaccine, Hadjipantelas said that he has asked the epidemiology experts to give him in writing their views on the matter by Friday (tomorrow). He also asked for their views on the so called “mix and match” vaccination, meaning mixing the original vaccination with a different company or technology medicine when the third dose is administered.
“We will discuss whether we need to wait for the European Medicines Agency to make a decision or not, the Minister told CNA. However, he said the Ministry is ready in the event the cabinet decides to go ahead with the third dose.
The Minister also said that the possibility of a new lockdown is not on the horizon, however, he said no one can predict what will happen in the next two to three months.
The Minister said Cyprus has already been through a fourth wave and if there are more cases in the future, we will be talking about a fifth wave.
Cases, he said, are going down but what is more important is that we are seeing a reduction in hospitalisations.
The Ministry, he added, is on standby 24/7 and will take measures when and where necessary.
Asked if there is a possibility of a new general lockdown if cases go up, Hadjipantelas said all factors will have to be examined at the right moment. “At this moment, a new lockdown is not on the horizon. However, no one can predict what will happen in the next two to three months” he concluded.
