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