COVID19: Walk-in jab centres overwhelmed

Walk-in COVID vaccination centres were swamped on Friday as hundreds of people queued up to get a jab on the first day for those not registered with the national health system (GHS).

Every Friday, those registered or unregistered with the national health system can get vaccinated. It also applied to non-residents or foreigners.

Long lines were formed by people who waited patiently in the scorching sun to get their jabs.

Deputy Head of the Nursing Department Evagoras Tambouris visited the centre at Nicosia’s State Fair to urge people to stop coming.

He said people were given numbers up to 1,000 – the limit of jabs available – as all walk-in centres operate on a first-come, first-served basis.

Most of the people at the centre were not GHS beneficiaries.

Friday was the launch of COVID-19 jabs for non-GHS beneficiaries and non-registered citizens.

Long queues were also reported at the Larnaca walk-in centre.

Vaccinations take place every Friday between 08.00-1400.

In Nicosia, inoculations take place at the State Fair (three centres), at Limassol’s Spyros Kyprianou Stadium (three centres) and Larnaca Port (one centre).

For Paphos and Famagusta districts, there are walk-in centres in operation at the General Hospitals.

The Health Ministry said non-residents or those outside the health system need to present an identification document (ID, passport), a Foreigner’s registration card or proof they have applied for the card.

At the centres, people aged 12-17 can also get their jabs.