Archbishop Chrysostomos expressed sorrow on Friday over the surge of the pandemic, as he urged people to trust their doctors and not be influenced by clergymen when it came to Covid.

“Unfortunately, a lot of people have contacted me in recent days who have been influenced by our people too, I mean the Church,” he said after hearing Christmas carols from the army and police philharmonics.

“What I advised them is to trust their doctors as they do about other illnesses. We all need to be responsible people, to look after ourselves and our fellow human beings,” he said.

Chrysostomos said he was saddened by the surge of the pandemic, which has been inflicting pain for the past two years.

“This illness will not go away completely,” he said. “It will remain as an illness like the others, which cheap medicines will treat.”