Everyone must follow recommended measures on the coronavirus until a vaccine or treatment is available, EU Commissioner on Health Stella Kyriakides said on Monday.
Speaking after a meeting with Akel general secretary Andros Kyprianou, she said all EU citizens will have access to the vaccine when it is ready.
“For this reason, we announced a European strategy a month ago on vaccines that we are negotiating as the European Commission between member states so that when a vaccine is ready, we can be certain that this vaccine will be made available to all member states simultaneously and equally.”
Asked whether the vaccine will be mandatory, the commissioner said it will not be mandatory but it is a matter the authorities of each country will look into.
Kyriakides stressed the importance for every individual to take personal and social responsibility and follow the measures that experts and recommend until a vaccine and treatments are available that can reduce the deaths connected to Covid-19.
It is a pity that the sacrifices people made over the past five months go to waste, she added, stressing that there should be no complacency.
Kyriakides informed Kyprianou on the measures the EU Commission is taking along with member states so the pandemic and public health can be dealt with.
Akel’s general secretary said the increasing number of cases across Europe and Cyprus was concerning and scientists should be the ones to decide how to move forward.
“Crazy ideas that some people are trying to dump the coronavirus on us to monitor us or that is somehow responsible for 5G technology, should be abandoned.”
The government of Cyprus has already informed the EU it will need 1.2 million vaccines for the island, also including Turkish Cypriots.
Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou came under fire recently after he said vaccines for Covid-19 will be mandatory. After a storm of reactions, he backtracked saying it was his personal opinion and that once 60-70 per cent of the population has been vaccinated, in statistical models, it is seen that the entire population has been vaccinated.
