Nicosia [Cyprus]: Cyprus’ Health Ministry said it on Monday started a vaccination program for 12- to 15-year-olds. The ministry said that the decision was made after it was established that 20 per cent of new COVID-19 infections related to these age groups. The ministry also said that the youngsters would be eligible for Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines, provided they had the consent of their parents or legal guardians. The vaccination program was launched after the Cyprus Pediatric Society issued a recommendation to immediately include 12- to 15-year-olds. The Society said that it came to the conclusion after establishing that the mRNA vaccines are safe and effective and that the benefit of vaccinating these age groups far outweighs any potential risks. Meanwhile, Cyprus Pediatric Society Chairman Michalis Anastasiades said that some of its members became targets of insults and threats in postings on social media for coming out in favour of the vaccination of children. Police spokesman Christos Andreou said that following a complaint, police started a criminal investigation and were evaluating the content of online posts. Cypriot authorities tightened COVID-19 restrictions as of the start of this week, demanding that all people hold a SafePass to enter public offices and private venues where 10 or more people are present. The Health Ministry said that hospitals providing treatment to COVID-19 patients are currently operating at 100 per cent of their capacity, adding that this is the main reason behind the decision to tighten restrictions.
