Vaccination coverage with the third booster is low, deputy director of nursing services Evagoras Tambouris said on Monday.

The number of those over 18 who have received the third shot is around 62 per cent, he said speaking to CyBC radio.

Tambouris added that the number of Cypriots who have received two doses has reached 84.6 per cent and those who have received one dose 88 per cent.

In the 5-11 year-old age group, 9.8 per cent have been vaccinated, in the 12-15 year-old group 46.1 per cent, while in the 16-17 year-old group 56.5 per cent.

Meanwhile Scientific Director of the Larnaca-Famagusta hospitals Amalia Hadjiyianni said that 70 per cent of patients who are treated at Famagusta hospital are unvaccinated.

Speaking to Cyprus News Agency, she said that “quite a few patients admitted to public hospitals, who arrive seeking help for other conditions, end up in a Covid ward because during their admission they are found to be positive.”

“We need to protect the elderly and vulnerable groups as those groups who have other health problems may become more severely ill if they also test positive for Covid-19,” she added.