Dr. Karagiannis: In September, a review of the possible 4th installment

The possibility of administering a 4th dose of vaccine against Covid-19 will be re-examined in September, said to KYPE the Professor of Microbiology / Molecular Virology of the Medical School of the University of Nicosia, Dr. Petros Karagiannis, who added that discussions on turning the virus into an endemic disease may begin by May.

However, Dr. Karagiannis, who is also a member of the Advisory Scientific Committee of the Ministry of Health, said that "at the moment there is an uncertainty regarding the outcome of the Omicron variant", noting that Cyprus will proceed for the time being with reservations and mild relaxations.

Fearful to take bold measures

Asked to comment on the movement of many countries, which are easing the restrictions of the citizens, amid hopes that the Omicron wave has passed its peak and if Cyprus is able to be among these countries, Mr. Karagiannis said that "It is a bit scary at the moment to take bold measures in Cyprus, as some European countries have done."

"Right now there is uncertainty about the outcome of Omicron. Where in South Africa its course was rapid, in other European countries there was a descent, but then there was a stability. Right now there is a rise. "It's a little scary right now to take bold steps like some European countries have done," he said.

Petros Karagiannis said, moreover, that we should expect the effects, if any, of these relaxations in these countries, to add that the choice of Cyprus is to proceed with reservations and mild relaxations.

Asked if Cyprus has achieved immunity at the moment through the high vaccination coverage of the population, but also the large number of patients, Mr. Karagiannis said that "to be able to say that there is a level of immunity in this community depends on when someone was vaccinated and how long it took ".

He noted that "over time the immunity we are talking about will slowly go away and that is why it will need to be replenished from time to time."

For annual vaccinations

Asked if vaccination should be done annually and whether the debate on turning the pandemic into an endemic one will begin, Dr. Karagiannis said that "we are probably going there", noting that the discussions are estimated to start soon.

In relation to the possible administration of a 4th dose of vaccine against it Covid-19, stated that in Cyprus, although they had started discussing this possibility, they nevertheless decided to wait until the summer, after explaining that for the time being the situation and the executives in Cyprus "are not particularly dangerous".

"We will wait until the summer to see how things turn out and if something new emerges or depending on what happens, decisions will be made for the winter, which will be what happens with the flu," he said.

He also said that discussions about turning the virus into an endemic one will start by May, however, he said that this will depend on what will happen in the countries where the vaccination coverage is not high, but also on the countries that have relaxed these measures. the moment.

Vaccine coverage is high, and transmission is high

He stressed that vaccination coverage in Cyprus may be high, but noted that "the transmission of the virus is also high."

He further explained that under these conditions the virus can find ways to mutate, to add that "the situation is very fluid".

In addition, he expressed his personal surprise at the decision of some countries to relax the restrictions under these conditions and circumstances.

Asked to explain what the transformation of a pandemic into an endemic means in practice, Professor Karagiannis reiterated that "this virus came to stay".

He said that "if the virus becomes endemic, then the virus will be in a form that will not be so aggressive, but will make its presence at a time when it is convenient to transmit, usually in the winter months, ie it will not be transmitted continuously, like the moment that afflicts the world from January to December ".