Dr. Petros Karayiannis, member of the scientific committee on the pandemic and Professor at Nicosia University said on Thursday that we have entered a phase where we must live with the virus and personal responsibility is extremely significant so that we avoid a major deterioration of the situation.
Speaking to Cyprus News Agency Dr. Karayiannis said that we are not in an endemic phase yet adding that in the light of the lifting of measures in place we must continue to take self protective steps and display vigilance especially in crowded places.
He went on to say that the epidemiological indices have improved and this was the reason that generous changes in measures against the spread of COVID were decided. He underlined however, that restrictive measures are no longer in place and therefore each one of us has a duty to show personal responsibility.
Dr. Karayiannis advised the public to keep on taking personal protective measures in places of high interaction among people and to keep on wearing our face masks in closed places.
He also noted that since testing is no longer intense and frequent, we must keep an eye on symptoms and self-test for COVID which we can repeat later for confirmation.
Asked if he is worried of a possible outbreak after Easter celebrations, Dr. Karayiannis said that he does not think there will be a dramatic outbreak because the weather is also expected to be very warm and therefore people will be outdoors. He noted that measures need to be taken inside churches.
Invited to comment on the situation in Shanghai, China he said that the inoculation rates in the country are very poor and there is no immunity in the general population. He noted that authorities follow the strategy of zero cases and there was exposure only in the first wave of the disease. He said once again that the Omicron variant is very transmissible adding also that the vaccines they administer to the public are no so efficient as mRNA.
Asked about a fourth dose of the vaccine for younger ages, he said that there is a debate in the EU and the Cyprus authorities will follow directions by the ECDC.
Source: Cyprus News Agency