Month: November 2021

Measures taken by the European Union aim to buy time for scientists, so that they can go on and analyse the Omicron variant and take control of the situation, as the COVID-19 pandemic takes a new turn. “I prefer that in two or three weeks’ time we consider our response as somewhat excessive, rather than miscalculating the possible risks from this mutation” Stella Kyriakides, the EU Commissioner for Health, said on Monday.

Addressing in Brussels a group of journalists from Cyprus, Kyrakides also revealed that she sent a letter, on Monday, to the Health Ministers of the 27 member states, highlighting four points. In the letter, Kyriakides said that she asked Ministers to carry on with vaccinations, secondly she asked all member states to go on with booster shots, third to continue implementing personal protection measures and fourth to strengthen contact tracing and sequencing, in order to trace the Omicron variant.

Referring to an extraordinary meeting she had earlier on Monday with the G7 Health Ministers, chaired by the UK, Kyriakides said it focused on “discussing matters pertaining to the new Omicron variant, the need for coordination, the need to proceed with vaccination programs and personal protection measures, so as to buy time for scientists to analyse this new variant.”

“We expect in the next few days more new cases of this variant to emerge in all countries, therefore every one of us must be aware and take all necessary measures” she added.

She also referred to the EU’s decision to activate the “emergency brake” on travel from countries in southern African and said that “the important thing is to have two weeks to contain the spread, as much as possible, so that scientists can study the variant.”

Kyriakides, who was also expected to meet with EMA officials on Monday, noted that coordination is important.

Asked by CNA to comment on a call by the World Health Organization, to keep the borders open and implement any restrictions on a scientific basis, Kyriakides said that “we are not in favour of closing borders” but the effort aims at containing the spread in regions where there are reports for several Omicron cases.

She also said that there shouldn’t be a sense that countries from this region are being punished and lauded the transparency and immediate notification of the COVID variant from South Africa.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas and the Scientific Committee on the pandemic on Monday assessed the situatuion in Cyprus and exchanged views as regards the new covid variant Omicron which has put the globe on high alert.

Suggestions on the table include stricter measures for everyone entering Cyprus and at crossings and Xmas celebrations outdoors with safepass for all as well as remote working.

Hadjipantelas told the press that they agreed to have a mandatory PCR test at airports , ports and marinas and stricter measures at crossing points . He clarified that this issue will be discussed at the Foreign Ministry level, a Health Ministry press release says.

The Minister said that stricter measures does not mean closing adding that for all those who are not permanent residents of Cyprus a PCR will be required something that will apply at airports.

He said that the scientists suggested that all Xmas celebrations take place outdoors with a safepass for all, vaccinated and unvaccinated and this will be put before the Cabinet. Asked if the number of people at house gatherings will be decreased, he said that no such suggestion was discussed but the situation is being monitored as we go along, given that we have new data before us with the Omicron variant.

He also said that remote working will also be put before the Cabinet.

Replying to another question about the inoculation of children aged 5-11 he said that this suggestion will be discussed at the Ministerial Council of next week as we need to have before us all the data on the availability of the vaccines.

Hadjipantelas said that next week he will be abroad and asked the Head of the Scientific committee to preside over the meeting, if needed.

The Head of the committee Constantinos Tsioutis said that the message from today`s meeting is clear that vaccination is a weapon but we need to have other measures in place as well.

He said that we need more evidence on the new variant to be able to understand its characteristics adding that the suggestions were to intensify checks and early detection and also to decrease the spread of the new mutation but also any other mutation. He reminded all that delta is a very transmissible variant and it is already among us.

Asked if the new mutation has mild symptoms to those affected he said that is is too early to say anything on that as these are just indications in some parts and some countries were Delta is not dominant.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus, through cooperation, bilateral and trilateral agreements, contributes together with neighbouring countries to the creation of a network of security, peace, stability and cooperation, Defence Minister, Charalambos Petrides, said on Sunday.

Moreover, he noted that Ankara`s aggression daily jeopardizes the stability and security of the wider Eastern Mediterranean region and undermines the interests of other countries in the region.

Delivering a speech at a memorial service for the fallen soldiers of 286 infantry battalion during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the Minister said  that tοday more than ever before the sacrifice of our heroes calls us to consider our own duty to our homeland and we must be united.

He noted that it is obvious that Turkey, through its actions in the Cypriot Exclusive Economic Zone, in Karpasia peninsula and in the fenced off town of Famagusta (Varosha) is  trying to create a fait accompli and to promote the final division of our island.

The Defence Minister said that in the face of Ankara`s illegal actions and unacceptable positions, we strongly declare that we will continue to fight for a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem, based on the agreed framework. He also noted that our faith and will to return to our occupied homeland strengthen our efforts for a solution and for the termination of Turkey`s illegal actions.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Numerous rounds of talks under the UN aegis to reunite the island under a federal roof failed to yield results.

Source: Cyprus News Agency

JERUSALEM — Israel’s government on Sunday approved the immigration of several thousand Jews from war-torn Ethiopia, some of whom have waited for decades to join their relatives in Israel.

The decision took a step toward resolving an issue that has long complicated the government’s relations with the country’s Ethiopian community.

Some 140,000 Ethiopian Jews live in Israel. Community leaders estimate that roughly 6,000 others remain behind in Ethiopia.

Although the families are of Jewish descent and many are practicing Jews, Israel does not consider them Jewish under religious law. Instead, they have been fighting to enter the country under a family-unification program that requires special government approval.

Community activists have accused the government of dragging its feet in implementing a 2015 decision to bring all remaining Ethiopians of Jewish lineage to Israel within five years.

Under Sunday’s decision, an estimated 3,000 people will be eligible to move to Israel. They include parents, children and siblings of relatives already in Israel, as well as orphans whose parents were in Israel when they died.

“Today we are correcting an ongoing injustice,” said Pnina Tamano Shata, the country’s minister for immigration and herself an Ethiopian immigrant. She said the program was a response to people who have waited “too many years to come to Israel with their families” and to resolve a “painful issue.”

In a joint statement with Israel’s interior minister, she said the decision came in part as a response to the precarious security situation in Ethiopia, where tens of thousands of people have been killed over the past year in fighting between the government and Tigray forces.

It was not immediately clear when the airlift would begin. The government appointed a special project coordinator to oversee the effort.

Kasaw Shiferaw, chairman of the group Activists for the Immigration of Ethiopian Jews, welcomed Sunday’s decision but said there was still a long way to go.

“On one hand, this decision makes me happy. Three thousand people are realizing a dream and uniting with their families,” he said.

“But it’s not a final resolution. Thousands are still waiting in camps, some for more than 25 years. We expect the government to bring all of them,” he said.

Source: Voice of America