Health minister gets booster dose, urges public to do the same

Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela on Wednesday received the second booster dose – against Covid-19.

Health ministry permanent secretary Christina Yiannaki administered Hadjipantela’s fourth jab at Nicosia’s State Fair.

“Vaccination has proven to be the only way to protect us from increasing hospitalisations,” the minister said after receiving the jab. “I urge all people to take advantage of the new updated vaccines to protect themselves.”

Hadjipantela also added that the newest vaccines are constantly arriving in Cyprus, those that cover the BA4 and BA5 Omicron variants.

“I specifically requested … that pharmaceutical companies commit themselves to only send our country vaccines of the latest generation,” he said.

Responding to reports of low interest among the public regarding the fourth dose, the health minister said he expects more will be administered in the coming months but added that “numbers at the moment are satisfactory.”

According to the health ministry, Pfizer vaccines are available at vaccination centres every day, while Moderna vaccines are available every Tuesday and Thursday, starting tomorrow.

Vaccination centres are located in Nicosia at the State Fair, in Larnaca at the Old Hospital, in Limassol at the Linopetra health centre, in Paphos at the Paphos general hospital and in Paralimni at the Famagusta health centre. All operate from 8am to 2.30pm.

Vaccination centres will also operate in Kyperounta at the village’s vaccination centre on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9.30am to 1.30pm and at Polis Chrysochous hospital every Tuesday from 9.30am to 1.30pm.

Regarding flu vaccines, Hadjipantela said that for the first time Cyprus has 170,000 doses available.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank the officials of the health ministry for making sure that the public can rely on flu vaccines early this year,” he concluded.