Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in Cyprus public hospitals are full of coronavirus cases while most non-COVID cases are referred to the private sector, Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas said.
Highlighting the problem, Hadjipandelas said some unvaccinated younger parents with small children are currently in ICUs.
For example, he said that a 46 -year-old with four children, a 42-year-old with two kids and another patient aged 40 with four children are currently treated in ICUs.
“These people are struggling in the ICUs, and at the same time, their family is upset, and they urge us to do something so as not to lose them.”
Certainly, he added, the public hospitals are doing their utmost, but “to avoid this situation, there is a way, and it’s proven. Vaccination”.
Hadjipantelas said if these patients in the ICU had got vaccinated, they wouldn’t be there, and now their relatives wish they had been vaccinated, so they don’t have to go through this ordeal.
Many patients with other conditions which require treatment in the ICU are referred to private hospitals because the ICUs in state hospitals are running out of beds.
A new ICU with ten more beds will start operating soon at Nicosia General Hospital.
Hadjipantelas commented during a visit to the walk-in vaccination centre that opened on Thursday at the University of Cyprus.
University rector Tassos Christofides said the University would be operating with the physical presence of students for the new academic year.
“For this to happen without many problems, it is necessary for our people, our community to be vaccinated.
“It is in this context that the walk-in centre at the University operates, and I urge everyone to get vaccinated, let’s listen to the science.
“When 90% or more of the (hospital) patients are unvaccinated, I do not need any other proof of the effectiveness of the vaccination”.
The presentation of SafePass by staff and students coming to the University will be mandatory at the beginning of the new academic year.
On Wednesday, there were 273 patients in COVID wards, while critical cases retreated mildly from 98 to 90.
Some 89% of patients are not vaccinated, down from 89.3% the day before.
