A hundred and sixty-two people residing in nursing homes got their third COVID-19 vaccine dose on Friday, following the Cabinet’s decision on Thursday.
In message on Twitter, President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, said that Cyprus was proceeding with third dose vaccinations, noting that it was “one of the first countries worldwide” to do so.
As the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Christina Yiannaki, told the Cyprus News Agency, the third dose of the vaccine would be administered to 90 people in Larnaca, 30 people in Nicosia and 42 people in Pafos.
“Today we began with the third dose and today 162 people in nursing homes will get this third dose”, said Yiannaki. She said vaccinations began in the morning and would continue until noon.
In the coming days, she added, third dose vaccinations would continue based on a schedule decided by the Ministry’s responsible team.
The Cabinet’s decision calls for a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to persons over 65, those residing in nursing homes, immunosuppressed people, regardless of age as well as to health professionals, provided they have completed six months since the completion of their vaccination regime.
Yiannaki noted that 78.8% of the population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 74.5% has completed their vaccination scheme.
Fourty seven thousand people have been vaccinated at a walk – in centre so far, she said.