The Republic of Cyprus’ health authorities will reassess the COVID situation in China and decide whether to take any measures next week, Health Minister, Michalis Hadjipantela, said on Monday after a meeting with the national Scientific Advisory Committee on Coronavirus, adding that there was “no need for panic” for now.
After the meeting in Nicosia to assess the situation in China, the Minister said that, after having conversations with the regional director of the World Health Organization, the director of Italy’s national Institute for Infectious Diseases but also the European Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides, “it is clear”, that, at this particular moment, the COVID mutation variant that emerged in China, has been present in Cyprus since August 2022, “so there is no reason to panic at this particular moment.”
He also said that it was decided at the meeting to study the data in the following days, after two meetings at European Commission level – one was scheduled today and the other for Tuesday – where more data will be given to the officials of the Ministry of Health. They are to hold a meeting next week, on Tuesday at 3.00 pm to further study these data, and, assess “if we need to take any action,” he added.
Replying to a question about the mutation identified in north America, he said this was a mutation “that we also know about in our country and are studying it very carefully”.
On the same issue, Dr. George Panos, said, on behalf of the Scientific Advisory Committee, that, “right now we know it’s 20% more contagious, but it’s a good variant, so we’re not worried about it on the medical side of things.”
He also said that they did “an extensive review” of the data with all the proposals submitted, and, that the Committee will meet again in a week to make more concrete decisions, which may be adopted “if the circumstances are such that it is deemed necessary.”
Cyprus, he added, is currently well prepared while the variants identified both in China and in Europe are known to the Ministry of Health, and there is readiness in terms of their evolution.
According to information obtained by CNA, if measures are to be taken, they will concern PCR tests for travellers arriving in Cyprus from China, as well as the use of masks by all airplane passengers arriving in Cyprus.
Source: Cyprus News Agency