Covid drug to be immediately shipped from Greece

A batch of the antiviral Covid-19 drug Paxlovid will be “immediately” shipped to Cyprus from Greece, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

A separate batch had been due to arrive from Frankfurt on Wednesday morning, but inclement weather in central Germany had caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights from the city’s airport, and thus the drugs’ arrival was not possible.

As a result, the health ministry reached an agreement with its Greek counterpart for a separate shipment to be made from Greece, pending the arrival of the originally planned German shipment.

The drugs’ arrival had previously been subject to delays which the health ministry had said were caused by factors outside their control.

Paxlovid is certified in the European Union for the treatment of Covid‑19 in adults who do not require supplemental oxygen and who are at increased risk of their symptoms progressing to severe Covid‑19.

The health ministry had earlier announced that Paxlovid can be prescribed by general practitioners, virologists, pulmonologists, haematologists, oncologists, cardiologists, nephrologists, neurologists and other specialists.

Side effects of the drug include diarrhoea, high blood pressure, changes in one’s sense of taste and muscle pain.