It’s business as usual this Christmas for Famagusta General Hospital staff caring for Covid-19 patients, although an effort has been made to bring some festive cheer to the wards, hospital head Amalia Hadjiyianni told the Cyprus News Agency on Thursday.
The hospital has operated as the referral hospital for coronavirus patients since the start of the outbreak and is currently catering for some 70 patients.
Hadjiyianni said Christmas decorations have gone up in the hospital, and low volume Christmas and classical music can be heard in all the wards, giving a message of hope to staff and patients. There was also a church service for staff at the hospital chapel.
The bishopric of Constantia-Famagusta will be providing Christmas lunch and dinner to staff and patients at the hospital, while over the past few days bakeries and patisseries have brought various sweets. “These are being offered to the staff and the patients so that hospitalised individuals are aware that these are days of festivity, joy and hope,” she said.
Hadjiyianni said staff will be working as usual over the Christmas, New Year and Epiphany holidays, away from their families and loved ones.
“However, they will spend the holidays at the hospital with their colleagues, medical, nursing and paramedical staff, giving support and hope to hospitalised coronavirus patients,” she said.
With her wishes for a Christmas rendered so different from previous years because of the restrictive measures, Hadjiyianni expressed the hope that the new year, together with the vaccine will liberate the world from the pandemic.
She also thanked Alexandros Sofocleous, the volunteerism commissioner and representatives of various charitable organisations who on Wednesday participated in an 11 kilometre walk to show their respect and appreciation to hospital personnel caring for coronavirus patients.
She also thanked the restaurant owners who offered food coupons for hospital personnel.
Meanwhile, Yiorgos Vouvakos, executive director of Eden Resort in Tersephanou where coronavirus cases are accommodated until they test negative, said that the resort has been decorated for Christmas and there will be a festive meal with turkey and side dishes for guests there who are spending Christmas away from their loved ones.
Guests are well, having recovered from coronavirus and are waiting for the negative test result so that they can go home, he added.
