For agreement with private hospitals for COVID cases

The decision of the Council of Ministers, yesterday Tuesday, to reinstate the protective measure with the masks in the pharmacies reveals the reasoning that has prevailed in the Ministry of Health and epidemiologists, regarding the increase observed in the new cases. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, the government continues to act cautiously in the event of a tough signal. The restoration of the mask, even individually, is attributed to the variants BA.4, BA.5. and its evolutionary subspecies. However, both epidemiologists and the government do not appear to be concerned about the pandemic, which may push for a resumption of the suspended measures. The policy pursued at this stage is mainly of a precautionary nature, for extreme scenarios, and focuses on the health system and its resilience. To this end, the pandemic management team seems to have prepared an action plan that, in addition to interventions, where necessary, includes other actions such as increasing the availability of beds for incidents. COVID-19. To this end, the Ministry of Health is in the final stage of an agreement with private hospitals which will provide a number of beds for the treatment of patients with COVID-19.

50 beds

The vigilance of epidemiologists and the Ministry of Health is due more to hospitalizations and less to the number of new infections. According to official data, the hospitalizations and especially the serious ones remain stable despite the increase of the cases. As of last Saturday, as "K" is able to know, the Ministry of Health is ready to deal with a possible worsening of serious incidents. According to the information at our disposal, for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, in the area of ​​hospitalizations, the private health sector will be involved. In this regard, the Ministry of Health is close to an agreement with private hospitals in order to receive for treatment, serious incidents. In this effort, the private sector will provide fifty beds for COVID patients. With the fifty beds, it is believed that public hospitals will not be forced to put other health services on the ice, something they did in the past, to respond to the task assigned to them.

Other measures

The return of the mask to the pharmacies was unanimously suggested by the members of the Scientific Advisory Committee, a suggestion which was accepted by the Minister of Health Michalis Hadjipandelas. In front of them, in the form of a question, the members of the TEU also had the return of the mask indoors and in the restaurant. The views expressed were not unanimous with the result that the Minister of Health rejected the suggestions he received. Sources from the Ministry of Health insist that at the moment there is no need for additional measures, but it is closely monitored the next day and in this logic the planning is done. With the situation as described by epidemiologists, except for the shocking unexpected, there are no reasons for additional measures since a large part of the new cases are asymptomatic infections, which were identified by the protocols followed for admission of patients to hospitals, not necessarily by infections. COVID-19.

Call for citizens' responsibility

As happened with the suspension of the restrictive measures about a month ago, the Ministry of Health continues to remind the spirit of responsibility that citizens must show in the basic measures of personal protection (mask, distance, hand hygiene) in order to prevent further deterioration of the epidemiological image. As stated, “collective and individual responsibility has contributed greatly to tackling the pandemic. The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the members of the Advisory Scientific Committee, evaluates the data daily and if deemed necessary, measures will be taken to ensure Public Health ". With this reasoning, the Council of Ministers decided: -From June 30, 2022, the mandatory use of a protective mask by employees and customers in pharmacies, clinical laboratories, as well as in people who visit sampling points to be tested for COVID19.

The Ministry of Health reminds that the protective mask must be worn by employees and visitors over 12 years of age in hospitals, nursing homes, closed structures of vulnerable groups, outpatient clinics, clinics, medical centers, rehabilitation centers and public transport. Recommends the use of a protective mask in places of co-creation (interiors, spaces of social events) to people who belong to vulnerable groups of the population, and to people who associate with people at high risk. Also from next Thursday, June 30, 2022, the maximum charge price (ceiling) for molecular examination for SARS-COV-2 disease is reduced from 50 to 30 euros and from July 4, 2022, the maximum charge price for self-diagnostic tests ( selftest) for the disease COVID-19, is set at € 1,70 per piece. Also the maximum charge price of the package of 5 self-diagnosis tests is 6 euros.

Kathimerini.com.cy