Cyprus President to be among first to get Covid jab

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades will be among the first citizens to receive the vaccine against Covid-19, Government Spokesman Kyriacos Koushos said Friday.

Koushos said President Anastasiades will be vaccinated as soon as the first batch of vaccines arrives in Cyprus.

On Thursday, health minister Constantinos Ioannou said vaccinations in Cyprus will begin in unison with other EU member states on December 27 following approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Earlier this week, the health ministry clarified the vaccination program’s priority list and the sequence in which different groups will be called to set appointments for the vaccination.

First priority was granted to residents and staff of nursing homes and institutions catering to adults with chronic diseases, but also to staff of ambulance departments and health professionals working with coronavirus patients and at ICUs.

According to the health ministry, nursing homes islandwide have a total of 2,294 members of staff and 3,882 residents, while the healthcare professionals who are granted first priority amount to some 1,000 people. These will begin inoculations in January, 2021.

Then, people aged over 80 years, estimated to be around 33,530 people, will be called in to get vaccinated, with priority to be granted to those in vulnerable groups. Vaccinations for this group are expected to begin in January and to be completed within the thirst three months of 2021.

Third in line are those aged over 75, estimated to amount to around 27,667 people, before people aged over 16 but at a high risk of serious illness follow suit. Vaccinations for people aged over 75 will begin in the first trimester of the new year, as will vaccinations for the following group.

Remaining health professionals and residents of closed institutions, such as prisons and migrant camps, are next in line, followed by the rest of the population.

The health ministry said its main aim is to see over 40% of the Cyprus population vaccinated within the first half of 2021.