President Nicos Anastasiades sent a clear and sound message on Monday as regards with COVID measures, saying that if we do not comply with the ones in place, there is no doubt we will be led to stricter. He also expressed the hope that Cyprus will not go into a new lockdown.

Speaking to the press before the 38th Annual Assembly of the Union of Municipalities, the President said that there is an outbreak all over the world, therefore we all need to be vigilant. He also said that in Cyprus, compared to what is happening in the rest of Europe and the rest of the world, we are trying to oversee the people`s freedoms and the businessmen in the best possible way.

However, he added, the citizens and the businessmen should realise that if the measures are not followed we will have to take stricter. The President said that our health is above all as well as the economic survival of the businesses, the employees and the state itself.

Asked about a lockdown in Cyprus, he expresessed the hope that we will avoid similar measures taken by other countries.

Health Minister says we have a responsibility to keep economy open

Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas said that the easiest way to do would be to introduce a new lockdown like other countries, but we are trying to have the measures in place followed in the hardest way.

Invited by the press during a visit at a school in Larnaka to say whether in the afternoon, in a new meeting with the scientific committee they will discuss the possibility of taking stricter measures, he said that he is waiting to hear the specialists. The Minister said that all their suggestions will be put before the Cabinet`s meeting on Tuesday.

He also said the government took measures in August that made it possible for the schools to be opened today. Hadjipantelas said that we should not eliminate anything good that happens in Cyprus and asked everyone to look elsewhere and see what is happening in other countries such as the Netherlands, the UK and other neighbouring countries.

He added that in view of the Christmas celebrations we should all be responsible adding that he can understand the worries expressed by the citizens but the bigger responsibility is for the economy to remain open.

Situation on the borderline says Professor Karayiannis

Situation is on the borderline and we are not certain what will happen when omicron variant will be dominant in Cyprus, Professor Petros Karayiannis told the Cyprus News Agency.

He said that with vaccinations and measures in place the situation will either remain in some stability or when Omicron skyrockets, there will be a problem .

He said that so far we know that omicron is much more transmissible but the picture is far from clear as to whether the infection is mild or the same as the delta variant.

Karayiannis said that it seems that the vaccines  are not so efficient especially if they were administered a few months back and if the immunity begins to decrease. Therefore, he said, a booster shot is needed and higher levels of antibodies. 
He said that it was more than clear that the omicron cases in Cyprus would be the close contacts of the very first cases detected but we need to see how deep the variant is in the community, adding that the 40 or so cases detected each day at the airports is a relatively high number and we do not know if these are omicron cases.

Karayiannis said that we need to be extra cautious as regards the arrivals especially from the UK.
Asked about the measures to be discussed with the  Minister he said that we need to focus on containing the spread and this happens via the inoculations, the compliance with the measures and protocols in place and if we all show a responsible stance.