Open to the possibility of tighter measures next week without even ruling out a lockdown, Government Spokesman Marios Pelicanos said.
Mr. Pelecanos, speaking this morning on state television, explained that the measures taken yesterday come after the recommendations of scientists and are aimed at reducing the number of gatherings in certain places such as entertainment centres.
It is appropriate, he said, because of the provisions but the recommendations of the World Health Organisation these measures should be reviewed in the short term saying that the next meeting of the Minister of Health with the Scientific Team is on January 4 and the Cabinet meets the following day for possible decisions.
"There will be a new reassessment to look at how the situation is shaping up. There are too many facts that are being counted at the same time. It is not only the number of cases, it is the number of hospitalizations, the number of ICU inpatients, it is the ages of the cases, the length of hospitalization of the cases, there are too many parameters."
The aim, he said, is to control the course of the coronavirus in order to safeguard public health and continue economic activity. He noted that the number of hospitalizations is not proportional to the number of cases, but stressed that the strength of the health system is not unlimited.
Asked whether the suggestion of a lockdown was on the table during yesterday's meeting, he clarified that this has not been discussed. "But we have to say with the cases we have and if we see an increase in hospitalizations and depending on the recommendations of the scientific team we cannot rule out anything," he said.
Asked whether the strict measures should have been taken earlier,[/B] Mr Pelekanos noted that the measures taken require the cooperation and understanding of everyone and stressed that the good results that Cyprus has recorded so far, both in terms of the numbers of deaths and in terms of the economic crisis, as he said, that the pandemic has brought with it, is due to the good mood and the conscientiousness shown by the citizens.
Regarding the tightening of controls and the complaints heard from citizens, the Government Spokesman indicated that it is very important to monitor the implementation of the measures. He pointed out that the Republic of Cyprus, at the moment, employs about 500 people, who are responsible for control.
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