Coronavirus: Walk-in vaccination centres to increase as strong interest shown (updated)

The health ministry said on Friday it is planning to expand the number of walk-in coronavirus vaccination centres, following increased interest of people during the two days of their pilot operation, which have seen hundreds of doses administered nationwide.

In less than three hours after they opened at 8am on Friday, some 338 people had been vaccinated against Covid-19 at the walk-in centres, acting director of hospital services Evagoras Tambouris told the Cyprus News Agency.

The majority of vaccinations were carried out in Larnaca where 84 people received a jab, followed by 73 in Nicosia, 72 in Limassol, 53 in Famagusta, while Paphos, where the population is the most vaccinated, 56 doses were administered at the walk-in centre.

Tambouris had said earlier in the day that if the interest continues and there is increased demand, the ministry will increase the number of walk-ins, currently at one per district.

“Seeing the interest and the response from the people, we are now planning for the vaccinations to be carried out in bigger centres and for 200-300 vaccines to be available, depending on the demand,” he said.

Before that announcement, daily Politis had said the Limassol walk-in vaccination centre had run out of vaccines. The same centre had to request more vaccines the previous day, the first day of operation of the walk-in centres.

On Thursday, a total of 552 vaccinations were carried out, exceeding the expectations of the health ministry which had initially only distributed 500 doses to the centres.

The walk-in centres are open from 8am to 1pm, Monday to Friday and are currently offering only Pfizer vaccines. They are operating at the Latsia health centre in Nicosia, Linopetra health centre in Limassol, the vaccination centre at Larnaca port and at Paphos general hospital and Famagusta general hospital.

Only Gesy beneficiaries are able to visit them at the moment, with the ministry having said this may be extended to non-Gesy beneficiaries in the future.