The vaccine rollout in Paphos will begin on Monday with inoculations at three care homes in Kissonerga, the CNA reports.
Health Ministry spokesperson Margarita Kyriacou said that vaccinations in Paphos will kick off in Kissonerga at 9 am, then at Blue Cross at 11 am followed by Zesti Folia care home in Polemi.
Head of the Blue Cross care home in Mesa Chorio Roula Gregoriou told CNA that both the elderly residents and their loved ones have been informed ahead of tomorrow’s inoculations as a consent form needs to be signed stating that they agree to be vaccinated.
So far, Gregoriou said, a total of 21 out of 27 residents at the centre have agreed to the inoculation but she hopes there will be more by tomorrow morning.
She said that the pensioners are provided with a relevant document by the Health Ministry in which it is explained that the signatory understands the benefits of receiving the shot and the risks of not doing so. It further explains that, as with all drugs and vaccines, there may be undesired side effects, but not everyone gets them and most are mild and short-term.
“This has all been explained to the residents as well as the fact that a vaccine shields a patient against any future infection,” Gregoriou concluded.
Medical professionals and pensioners at care homes in Limassol and Nicosia were the first to receive the jab on Sunday morning.
The first batch of the inoculations arrived in Cyprus on Saturday in the presence of Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou and EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides.
President Nicos Anastasiades will also be among the first to take the jab. He is scheduled to be inoculated on live TV on Monday morning to allay public concerns on the safety of the vaccine.
