Despite the vaccine rollout, which is set to begin on Sunday, restrictive measures are expected to remain in place until at least the summer – that is the key message from the head of the scientific team advising the government.
Widely expected and in keeping with what many other Western governments have announced, measures will remain in place for months to come.
Assistant Professor of Pathology specialising in Infection Control at the European University, Constantinos Tsioutis said that there is a very long and difficult road ahead.
Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency on Wednesday, he said the main obstacle was that vaccinating the number of people necessary will take some time.
“The vaccines won’t arrive all at once,” he said. “It will happen slowly, slowly. Of course, we will have measures for quite a while yet. Certainly, as the number of people who are vaccinated increases then the measures will be relaxed accordingly.”
As he said, the vaccines will arrive in batches at various intervals and by the summer enough people should be vaccinated.
Until then, however, he said that measures will have to remain in place – perhaps with varying severity – until the vaccine rollout is sufficient.
“This doesn’t mean that the measures which we have now will exist until then. We should clarify that, so that the public does not feel disappointed. But some more targeted measures will exist,” he said.
Tsioutis was also asked about those who are sceptical of the vaccine, to which he said the government is carrying out studies to assess how many people are unlikely to accept the vaccine.
He appeared optimistic, however, that people will be reassured as Europe as a whole is beginning the vaccination programme together and this should encourage the public.
The health ministry has also planned an information campaign, he said.
But looking towards Europe, recent announcements from EU member states are likely to spook businesses and dampen the spirits of many.
The Irish government will shut restaurants, pubs and some shops on Christmas Eve and they may not open again until early March, it was announced on Tuesday.
An even gloomier forecast was set by a senior French scientist, who said France is unlikely to return to normal post-coronavirus life before autumn next year as it could take longer than initially envisioned to roll out vaccines.
“Vaccines are a major source of hope but if you look at the vaccination capabilities that we will have in France and elsewhere in Europe, we will need time,” immunologist Jean-François Delfraissy told BFM television.
“The production of vaccines will be slower than envisioned 15 days or three weeks ago,” he said. “We will not face a vaccine shortfall but we will have something that is more spread out over time.”
https://cyprus-mail.com/2020/12/23/coronavirus-restrictive-measures-likely-to-remain-until-summer/
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