Covid drug arrives from Greece

A “sufficient quantity” of Paxlovid, a drug used to treat Covid-19, arrived in Cyprus from Greece on Thursday, Health Minister Michalis Damianou said.

Damianos was speaking after a meeting with the State Health Services (Okypy), and explained that his ministry had requested Greece’s help after adverse weather prevented a shipment of the drug from arriving from Frankfurt on Wednesday.

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.

Damianos added that the drugs to be shipped from Germany are “on their way”.

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.