Ministry of Health preparing Covid-19 plan for the coming months

The Ministry of Health is in the final stretch in its preparations to manage COVID-19 in the next months, the Minister of Health’s Communications Advisor Constantinos Athanasiou said on Tuesday, adding that on Friday a new meeting with the members of the Scientific Advisory Committee will be held.

He said the Ministry has prepared a draft roadmap on handling COVID for the next months which will be sent to all parties involved, including the State Health Services Organisation.

The members of the committee will also receive the draft to evaluate it and submit suggestions during Friday’s meeting while the final plan is expected to be approved by the end of the month.

The final roadmap in managing the pandemic concerns actions that the Ministry of Health will undertake in the event of a rise in cases.  Alternatively,  if the epidemiological situation remains stable, the ministry will decide on the frequency of tests to be carried out and where they should be performed.

He said the preparation of school protocols and the decision to use masks indoors are still pending.

Constantinou said that Friday’s meeting will not take any measures to curb the spread of the virus but rather create a preemptive plan for handling the pandemic in the next months, to be put into action only if necessary.

Asked where the issue of the fourth booster stands, Athanasiou said that it is still open and the ministry will examine ways to increase awareness about the program. He added that the fourth dose concerns only citizens over the age of 60 and those who are immunosuppressed.