Coronavirus: more than 64,500 vaccinations carried out

Cyprus had administered more than 64,500 coronavirus vaccinations up until Tuesday and has also met the EU target of vaccinating 80 per cent of its health professionals by March, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

Of the 64,562 jabs, 44,239 concerned individuals who received a first dose and the remaining 20,323 have received both doses and are fully vaccinated, it added.

The vaccination programme is going smoothly at nine vaccination centres throughout the island and is picking up momentum with some 160,000 vaccines due to be delivered in March, it added.

And it said that it was close to achieving one of its basic targets as regards vaccine coverage of the elderly, holding one of the leading places among EU countries which has administered at least the first dose to over-eighty-year-olds, a development which not only protects the most vulnerable but eases pressure on the health system.

Vaccination of high-risk groups has started, and procedures launched for mobile units to vaccinate the bedridden, it added.

Citing a study by public health Scotland based on the results of 1.5 million Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, the ministry noted that one dose leads to a significant reduction is hospital admissions by 85 and 94 per cent respectively. Among those aged over 80, the resulting reduction on the fourth week were 81 per cent. Israeli studies have shown the Pfizer vaccine to be 95.8 per cent effective in preventing infection two weeks after the second jab, 99.2 per cent in preventing serious illness and 98.9 per cent in preventing deaths. A UK study has show that infection risk is down 85 per cent after the second dose, the ministry added.

There are currently nine vaccination centres in operation in all the districts with 20 crews. Two large centres, at the Nicosia State Fair and the Spyros Kyprianou sports centre in Limassol have a capacity for 15 and 10 crews respectively while centres are due to start operation in Paphos and Larnaca this week with a capacity of seven crews each.

Once developed to their full capacity, the vaccination centres will be able to administer 15,000 jabs a day.