Cypriot expert says ‘wear the damn mask’

Local health experts are calling on the public to be vigilant after daily cases in the Republic of Cyprus passed the 1000 mark for the first time, with a member of the government’s advisory team telling Cypriots to “wear the damn mask.”

Health expert Petros Karayiannis, who spoke with 24News about the latest surge in coronavirus cases in Cyprus, said the rise in COVID infections would continue to go up if people who are infected are not identified.

Karayiannis went on to suggest that many people are infected but may not know that they have the bug, reiterating that even vaccinated persons could get sick.

“We say this time and again that people who are vaccinated still need to wear the damn mask,” Karayiannis said, adding “even if we say this, they go and get infected and then blame the vaccine for not working properly.”

Reports this week said experts across the globe feared a looming fourth wave, with some governments rushing to tighten current restrictions.

Caught between a rock and a hard place

But asked if the government’s advisory team would recommend new stricter measures, Karayiannis said the team did not have this particular discussion while adding that if such a step was needed, then “damn if you do and damn if you don’t.”

“It takes patience, adherence to self protection measures and protocols, and avoiding gatherings,” Karayiannis said. 

Another member of the advisory team, health expert Zoi-Dorothea Pana, weighed in on Wednesday, saying “everyone is tired and angry” and it would be impossible to stick to measures.

Pana, who phoned in during a television news program on Sigmalive, acknowledged there was a big division in society and called on all members of the public to “do their fair share in any way they can.”

“That’s only if each and every person adopts and implements what we have been saying day in and day out, such as avoiding crowds especially in indoor spaces, using a face mask properly, and encouraging vaccinations across all age groups that are eligible now,” Pana explained.