Cyprus prepared for expected Covid-19 surge in winter

The autumn and winter seasons are expected to see increased numbers of coronavirus cases, member of the government’s coronavirus advisory committee, Professor Constantinos Tsioutis, said Tuesday, noting that both the Cyprus health system and public is ready to face a new surge.

“Things appear to be moving toward a better direction and this is most likely due to the additional measures implemented in early August” Tsioutis said.

He noted that the way the pandemic is expected to develop during the coming months are a source of concern for the entire globe, particularly due to the way that colder weather drives people to cluster together indoors, but also sees higher numbers of seasonal virus and flu.

Tsioutis stressed that the government needs to undertake extensive planning, especially as regards education, healthcare, and business.

“An increase in cases is expected,” Tsioutis said, adding that we will need to continue applying what we have learnt in the past six months, such as avoiding overcrowding, close contact, and poorly ventilated areas.

A resurgence of the virus, Tsioutis said, is very easy to come about and quite difficult to control, while the expected rise in seasonal viruses during the autumn and winter months will mean more people with respiratory difficulties that will require timely detection and treatment.

As regards a potential second lockdown, Tsioutis said he considers such a development unlikely, and something that will be “a last resort which do one wants to see.”

Overall, Tsioutis said the coronavirus pandemic is not expected to die out any time soon “What we are waiting and hoping for, especially after a broad use of a vaccine, which however is not expected to begin before the spring of 2021, is a decrease in the transmission and spread of the virus to such an extent that we will only see some individual cases. And because of broader immunity in the population as a result of the vaccine, it will not be able to spread to many people and lead to new resurgences.”