From the epidemiological data, there is a great improvement of the health image that allows us to move forward and with further relaxations, the Minister of Health Konstantinos Ioannou told KYPE, noting that now the economy and society are unlocked, we are moving towards a normalcy but it should not happen again. .
“We are moving forward and building the wall of immunity with vaccinations. The benefits of vaccinations are already evident in the results. I also received information from the tracking unit that the majority of cases are detected in the ages of 20-40 years, where the vaccination coverage is still reduced. “Over the age of 60, when vaccination coverage is over 70%, there is a big reduction in cases and hospitalizations,” he said.
Asked if there will be a new wave in the autumn months, Mr. Ioannou said he is not sure if there will be. “We can not rule out anything. There can certainly be an outbreak of the pandemic in the coming months, but this will depend on the course of vaccination in Cyprus. Vaccines will be available to cover the entire population by the end of August, beginning of September. It is up to the world to respond. So far the response has been very encouraging. So whether there is necessary vaccination coverage now depends on the possible mutations, but not on the wave we have experienced in recent months. “I do not think there will be anything like this,” he said.
Asked when we will take off the masks, the Minister said that “I can not know. We are definitely already in a form of regularity and with the new relaxations. Some subtle measures may still be needed. We are also waiting for the suggestions of the experts on how to proceed with further de-escalation. I emphasize that we are the solution to the problem, so if we all take individual protection measures, there is nothing to worry about. “
Regarding the opening of the roadblocks, Mr. Ioannou said that “our contribution as the Ministry of Health was to agree on the way of controlling the traffic. “This is almost complete and it is now up to the political decisions to open the roadblocks.”
Asked what has been decided, he said that “health protocols will be set. This has been discussed in recent weeks. We expected from the Turkish Cypriot side their own position, which was given to us yesterday. It has been agreed how the control will be done, if tests, vaccinations will be required, etc. The official announcements now remain “.
