Health ministry permanent secretary Christina Yiannaki stepped in to administer coronavirus vaccines at a Limassol medical centre on Monday morning, saying a nurses’ strike would not distract the ministry from meeting its objectives.

Yiannaki, along with a number of volunteers, visited the centre to help with vaccinations after nurses who are members of the Pasyno union started a 12-hour strike on Monday morning.

She said the ministry will continue with its vaccination coverage. “The Ministry of Health will not be concerned at the moment,” she said about the strike.

Yiannakis was at a vaccination centre in Linopetra where 130 vaccinations were due to take place, with a further 65 vaccinations to take place at Limassol general hospital.

However, the number of vaccines to be administered on Monday was a fraction of the number originally scheduled.

“Across Cyprus 6,000 people will be vaccinated today, but we have rescheduled 4,800 appointments for the next few days,” Yiannaki said before reiterating the ministry’s aim to have 65 per cent of the population vaccinated by the end of June

“We will continue doing our duty in pursuit of our goals and for the best interests of our country and public health,” she added.