COVID19: Walk-in vaccination centres to operate

The Health Ministry will be operating walk-in vaccination centres across the island from Thursday in another bid to boost its decelerating COVID-19 vaccination rollout.

People will now be able to walk into a Cyprus vaccination centre and get a COVID-19 jab without having to book an online appointment; an identification document is needed.

First or second Jabs will be available at all sites for anyone aged 18 or over.

Authorities decided to open one walk-in station at each vaccination centre after tightening measures for unvaccinated people and incentivising younger people to get jabbed.

The Health Ministry said the vast majority of hospital patients are unvaccinated, with 90% of positive cases involving unvaccinated people.

The government last Friday reintroduced the Safe Pass for outdoor and indoor hospitality and other venues where people gather in large numbers to stem a new outbreak of COVID-19.

The Safe Pass is needed at restaurants, events or reception halls, nightclubs, entertainment venues, gyms, music and dance venues, bars, discos, theatres, amphitheatres, theatres cinemas, religious places and stadiums, excluding football stadiums.

As Safe Pass is documented proof of having a COVID-19 vaccine, a negative PCR or rapid test no older than 72 hours, or proof of recovering from the virus in the past six months.

Cypriots also need to carry a Safe Pass to work, while the government will abolish its free rapid testing program from 1 August.

People choosing not to get jabbed will have to dig deep into their pockets to pay for tests needed for work, football grounds, hospitality venues and social gatherings.

The maximum charge for a rapid antigen test is €20.

Covid-19 infections in Cyprus peaked at 993 on 8 July.

On Monday, Health authorities reported another 832 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total to 85,104, while 380 deaths have been recorded.

Cyprus has vaccinated 66.8% of people eligible for a COVID-19 jab, while 57.4% have completed their vaccination course.