A downward trend in new coronavirus cases offers a glimmer of hope but it does not justify Cyprus relaxing social distancing measures immediately after the April 30 deadline.
In comments to Active Radio, Cyprus Health Ministry advisor virologist Peter Karayiannis said that it is difficult to predict when Cyprus should relax measures.
He added that even when the time comes, measures should not be lifted immediately, but gradually, starting with milder measures and ending with the harsher ones like the curfew.
Karayiannis sees that Cyprus could lift measures some time towards the end of May.
Asked about the 20,000 tests being carried for frontline workers, Karayiannis said he expects numbers of new cases to rise over the next days, noting that this is not necessarily a negative indication as more test results will be coming in.
“There may be a gradual increase in the coming days and until April 30, when the sampling will be completed, but I do not think we will have a dramatic increase.”
Cyprus’ strict social distancing laws, flight ban and closure of businesses and public spaces remain in force until April 30.
The professor said that with the sampling there will be a clearer picture of what is happening in the general population.
He argues Cyprus is in a better position than other countries in preventing a possible second wave of the virus, as it does not share land borders with another country.
“The second wave will only come if we relax the measures before it is necessary,” he said, citing Singapore’s example, which eased measures prematurely.
As a result, it jumped from 400 cases they had until then, to 2,500 and 12 dead in just 15 days.
Singapore was forced to resort to stricter measures than it had previously imposed.
Dr Karayiannis hopes Cyprus will keep the daily number of new cases below 20.
Cyprus daily cases have been on a downward path since peaking at 58 on 1 April.
Furthermore, new cases recorded a 19% decline in the week 6-12 April compared to the week before, as cases dropped to 187 compared to 230 cases the previous week.
As of Sunday, Cyprus health services reported a total of 633 cases, including 10 detected in the British Bases, and eleven deaths.
