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The categorisation of various activities will be submitted to the Cabinet next Thursday for approval, depending on their risk, and what will be required in these areas, Dr Petros Karagiannis told the Cyprus News Agency, noting that when it will come into force will be decided by the Cabinet.
Having two major relaxations in a short period of time should give some time to see what the impact will be on the epidemiological picture, Dr. Karagiannis, member of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), Professor of Microbiology/Molecular Virology at the University of Nicosia Medical School, told the Cyprus News Agency.
Asked about the next step regarding relaxations and when the relaxations that went into effect on Monday are expected to be evaluated, Dr Karagiannis said that as of yesterday the relaxations that were announced last week went into effect and yesterday the protocol that will be in place for the next ten days in places where dancing will also be allowed was finalised.
"From next Monday, our airports will now also operate under different conditions in terms of passenger arrivals, meaning that a PCR will no longer be required on arrival if they are fully vaccinated. Therefore, having two such large relaxations in a short period of time we have to give some time to see what the impact on the epidemiological picture will be. That is why the announcement from the Ministry of Health says that current measures will be in place until 15 March and in the meantime we will start discussing other possible relaxations if the epidemiological picture allows it."
Asked what other possible relaxations we are likely to see, Dr Karagiannis said "I would not say relaxations. I would say it is the categorization of different activities according to their risk and what will be required in those places . There is an effort to simplify all of that and put it into a table that is both a reference point for citizens and employers and anyone else. This will probably go to Cabinet next Thursday for approval. When it will take effect, but from when it will take effect, will be decided by the Cabinet," he noted.
Right now, Dr. Karagiannis continued,we still have fairly high case numbers on a daily basis.
"Fortunately, the hard indicators that we are looking at, which are hospitalizations and intubations, are down to lower levels than they were three, four weeks ago. I think that if we continue to have Omicron in the community, which seems to be largely prevalent now, those who will need hospitalization will be relatively limited in number," he added.
In response to a question about whether there is a possibility in the future that we might return to measures, Dr. Karagiannis said he believes the situation will be manageable, "unless of course by our own behavior we make it significantly worse."
In response to a question about whether there is a possibility in the future of returning to measures, Dr. Karagiannis said he believes the situation will be manageable, "unless of course by our own behavior we make it significantly worse.
"There is room, I don't see any backtracking in a way in terms of measures. So we have to help the situation as well by implementing self-protection measures, something that has been taken away from other countries and they are currently facing exacerbations. If we behave responsibly in the next period, which is the next two to three weeks, then there will be further easing and we will be more relaxed towards the end of March," he concluded.
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