COVID19: Cabinet rolls up sleeve for AstraZeneca jab

In a bid to encourage reluctant Cypriots to get vaccinated with a COVID-19 AstraZeneca jab, Cyprus’ cabinet will turn up to get the shot in a public show of support, officials said Wednesday.

Cypriots are reluctant to choose the AstraZeneca vaccine after highly publicised deaths linked to rare blood clotting incidents after taking the jab.

On Wednesday, Cypriot government spokesperson Kyriacos Koushos said cabinet members, who have not been vaccinated, will receive the AstraZeneca shot on Thursday at a vaccination centre in Nicosia.

“It will send a message of confidence in the vaccine’s safety and efficacy,” said Koushos in a written statement.

Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides will get vaccinated on 19 April as he is abroad on official business.

The move comes as vaccinations hit a speed bump following reports of a possible link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and rare blood clotting incidents.

Cypriots eligible for vaccination have shown a clear preference for the Pfizer and Moderna jabs after doubts surrounding AstraZeneca.

Reassurances from the European Medicines Agency that the vaccine’s benefits outweighed the risks have done little to boost confidence.

Cyprus’ online vaccination portal opened on Tuesday for people aged 55 and 56 with 20,000 appointments available, the majority for AstraZeneca.

With the portal to close on Wednesday at 8 pm, only 6320 appointments have been booked, with people preferring Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, the Health Ministry said.

It was a similar story for those aged 57 and 58 last week, with thousands of AstraZeneca jabs not taken up.

AstraZeneca is the cornerstone of the government’s vaccination rollout. Cypriots not coming forward to get the jab hamper’s plans to vaccinate 60 per cent of the general population by the end of June.

Cyprus has registered 52,033 COVID-19 infections and 273 deaths since the pandemic started last year.