COVID19: No plans to ease or tighten lockdown measures

There are no plans on relaxing or tightening COVID-19 restrictions over the coming weeks, with the government delaying any decisions days before Cypriots celebrate Orthodox Easter.

On Wednesday, President Nicos Anastasiades said the cabinet would take any decisions on 24 April.

Earlier Wednesday, Anastasiades met scientists advising the government on the coronavirus outbreak.

“For the moment, epidemiologists are not voicing grave concerns, but this does not mean that we are not going to monitor the situation daily.

“What we are interested in is to see there is at least a stabilisation when it comes to hospital patient admissions for the health system to be able to cope,” Anastasiades told reporters.

He stressed the need to protect lives and for the economy to continue working.

“Therefore, at the moment, there are no plans to tighten or ease measures.”

Government advisor Dr Peter Karayiannis told Omega TV the next couple of weeks are critical for the pandemic in Cyprus.

He called on the public to remain patient until the vaccination program reaches more people.

Karayiannis said the recent increase in new COVID-19 cases has yet to put excess pressure on the health system.

“If the epidemiological data remains as it is today, this will not take long to happen”.

Cyprus reported two coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, a slight drop in new COVID-19 patients to 559 and an increase in the number of patients admitted for treatment to 205.

Total COVID-19 infections in the past 13 months rose to 48,837 on Tuesday.

President Anastasiades also praised those working in the General Healthcare System (GHS), calling them “frontline heroes.”