Coronavirus: Next round of vaccination appointments from Tuesday

Appointments for coronavirus vaccinations will be available for people aged 79 and over as from Tuesday, February 9, the health ministry said on Monday as it unveiled phase three of its national Covid-19 vaccination programme.

Phase three covers people aged 75 to 79, but as in the case of over 80-year-olds the ministry is choosing to sub-categorise into smaller age groups so as to prevent the scramble that followed the initial launch of its vaccination portal.

About 5,000 slots are currently available from the 10,058 that were opened up on Saturday for people aged 80 and over and for whom the portal remains open.

The ministry’s announcement coincided with the anticipated arrival later on Monday of 7,200 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine that is expected to give momentum to the vaccination drive. To date Cyprus has been relying on the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

So far, some 33,000 doses have been administered to people aged over 80 as well as to health professionals and residents and staff at care homes. About 10,000 people have received both doses.

In its announcement, the ministry said that appointments for 79-year-olds and over can be booked from 9am on Tuesday on its vaccination portal. Appointments will be for the period of February 9 to 20, in all districts.

“Implementation of the plan is continuing with sub-categories by age and line with the quantities that are received of the three licensed vaccines. The aim is to administer at least one of the doses of the vaccine to people aged over 75 and to health professionals within February,” the ministry said.

At the same time, vaccinations are gradually starting of people who are at increased risk because of serious health issues, it said.

The ministry did not elaborate, but health professionals told CyBC on Monday morning that among the first among at risk groups expected to receive the jab are dialysis patients and thalassaemics who rely on blood transfusions.