https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/isolation-guidance-eases-but-not-for-unvaxxed-contacts
New health ministry guidance in Cyprus has reduced the required period before infected persons can end their isolation regardless of vaccination history, but different criteria continue to apply for close contacts depending on whether they are vaccinated or not...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/tougher-safe-pass-logic-brought-into-question
The head of the government’s pandemic advisory committee says it is not up to health experts to justify political decisions such as tougher Safe Pass rules, but one of his colleagues defended tougher restrictions saying they had worked in the past during lockdown...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/minister-says-unvaccinated-should-pay-up
Cypriot Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela suggests vaccinated persons do not need to take rapid tests for Covid, adding those who choose to remain unvaccinated should now have to pay out of their own pocket to keep getting tested if they want to use Safe Pass...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/lack-of-data-stymies-booster-shot-debate-in-cyprus
Discussion in Cyprus over the possibility of a COVID booster shot ahead of the flu season is still up in the air, with the debate prompting officials to break an embargo on vaccination data of hospitalized patients and reveal that half of the older adult and elderly were vaccinated...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/nicosia-leaves-booster-shot-up-to-brussels
Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela says while government planning includes preparations for a third jab for vaccinated adults and seniors, the booster shot is subject to approval in Brussels...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/cypriot-officials-tackle-data-gap-on-vaccinated
Health officials in the Republic of Cyprus are trying to regroup this week following public criticism over lack of information on vaccinated persons, with plans underway said to include cross referencing vaccination data with close contacts of infected persons and more qualitative data...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/expert-hopeful-cases-will-drop-but-still-worried
The number of daily cases in the Republic of Cyprus is going down amid an apparent stabilizing trend, according to a local expert, who says he is optimistic but still fears over people slacking on health protocols...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/expert-tells-vaccinated-not-to-let-guard-down
Known Covid infections continue to rise in the Republic of Cyprus, with the positivity rate standing at 1.80% and health experts warning that vaccinated people should not let their guard down...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/cyprus-‘out-of-sequence-as-cases-jump
The Cypriot government’s health advisory team has been summoned back to the Presidential Palace following a huge spike of daily COVID cases over the weekend, with critics pointing fingers to the alienated squad as frustration continues to grow over the management of the pandemic...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/cyprus-turned-topsy-turvy-over-mutation-news
Clusters amongst partygoers and highly contagious infections undetected for several weeks have emerged in the Republic of Cyprus, causing headaches for officials who are now going through guest lists line by line to track down hundreds of people before it is too late...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/israel-worried-over-cases-linked-to-cyprus
Cyprus and Israel are once again facing a sudden jump in daily COVID cases, with both countries dealing with unclear information about the latest spread and Tel Aviv imposing new measures over fears that travelers might have played a role in the infection spike...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/cyprus-adopts-restrictions-for-astrazeneca
The Republic of Cyprus is adopting age restrictions for the AstraZeneca vaccine, following a fatal blood clot incident and intense debate amongst health experts, with the decision coming just hours after the health minister had warned he would seek answers abroad if the advisory team failed to deliver a solid recommendation...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/cyprus-says-two-shots-not-enough
Cypriot scientists say an additional shot against the coronavirus could improve immunity for vaccinated people as well as fight against new variants, with the EU preparing to order booster vaccines despite warnings from the bloc’s drug regulator against making 'premature' moves...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/cabinet-favors-return-to-pre-lockdown-rules
Government and health advisors in the Republic of Cyprus are looking into the possibility of returning to pre-lockdown measures against COVID-19, but surprises are not ruled out during a week of many unknowns...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/plans-get-blurry-as-cyprus-sees-more-deaths
Daily deaths due to COVID-19 hit a new record in the Republic of Cyprus, with seven hospitalized patients losing the battle on Easter Monday and health officials avoiding comment on what measures will replace the lockdown next week...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/all-eyes-on-positivity-rate-this-week
The positivity rate in the Republic of Cyprus registered a drop to just below 1% at the end of the holiday weekend, but officials say it is too early to know whether lockdown measures have been effective during Holy Week...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/cabinet-decides-lockdown-after-golgotha-meeting
After a tough debate amongst ministers over how the government ought to respond to a deteriorating pandemic situation, a proposal for a short and partial lockdown was approved at the last minute after the Cypriot health minister ascended his Calvary to secure a lockdown ahead of Orthodox Holy Week...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/cabinet-split-as-measures-gain-on-lockdown
The Cabinet is set to announce later on Friday a new set of measures to curb the COVID-19 spread in the community, as daily cases continue to rise with a situation in hospitals extremely alarming...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/decisions-on-hold-as-palace-summons-experts
The President’s Cabinet failed to reach a decision on pandemic measures following intense debate on Thursday afternoon, with reports saying an announcement was pushed back a day to give health experts time to visit the Palace for more consultations...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/experts-tell-government-not-to-relax-this-easter
Cyprus registered a record number of COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, reaching 941 and the numbers are only expected to increase, according to a local health expert...
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/us-puts-j-j-shot-on-‘pause-as-deliveries-start-across-eu
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration have recommended that use of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose Covid-19 vaccine be put on “pause,” pending an investigation into reports of potentially “dangerous” clots....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/easter-relaxations-up-in-the-air
Member of government’s health advisory committee Professor Petros Karayiannis said it remains unclear whether any relaxations will be made over the Easter period, since daily new coronavirus cases have yet to stabilise....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/economic-activity-could-resume-by-spring-end-anastasiades-says
President Nicos Anastasiades said Wednesday that he was hopeful that economic activity could resume by the end of spring, given that no unpredicted developments arise on the part of pharmaceutical companies....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/parents-take-anger-over-closed-schools-to-presidential-palace
Parents of middle school and Limassol primary school students took their frustration over schools remaining closed to the street outside the Presidential Palace on Monday....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/ioannou-matter-of-time-until-health-system-brought-to-its-knees
Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou warned Wednesday that if the current trend of rising new cases and hospital admissions continues, it will only be a matter of time until the healthcare system is brought to its knees....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/health-minister-consults-experts-before-friday-s-measures-announcement
The Health Minister consulted the government’s health advisory committee on Thursday for an evaluation of the island’s coronavirus situation before the Cabinet is set to take final decisions on Friday on whether we’ll be moving forwards or backwards....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/cyprus-awaits-relaxation-announcements-as-cases-rise
The Health Ministry’s announcement of Tuesday’s coronavirus cases sounded the alarms, cutting short the restrained optimism that had prevailed thus far....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/health-minister-escorts-mother-to-get-az-jab
In a symbolic act of support for Cyprus’ decision to administer the AstraZeneca jab to all ages, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou accompanied his mother on Tuesday to the Engomi vaccination centre where she got her first AstraZeneca shot.
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https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/focus-shifts-to-worsening-limassol-epidemiological-situation
The local epidemiological situation, and particularly the deteriorating conditions marking the Limassol district, were at the centre of discussions between the health minister Constantinos Ioannou, the government’s health advisory committee, and the contact tracing team on Monday....
https://knews.kathimerini.com.cy/en/news/medical-association-calls-for-restriction-of-az-jab-to-under-65s
The scientific committee Cyprus Medical Association (CyMA), the professional organisation of doctors in Cyprus, called on the Health Ministry to re-evaluate its decision of allowing the AstraZeneca vaccine to be administered to the 65+ age groups, noting that there’s not enough scientific evidence to proving its effectiveness among these groups....