TRNC set to vaccinate 52,000 people by of December and early January

TRNC government they have completed plans to vaccinate its citizens against Covid-19 as it expect the delivery of the first batch of vaccine from the EU reserved for Cyprus.

According to the Minister of Health, Ali Pilli, 52,000 people will be vaccinated during the first phase.

He said that the vaccines would be given by the Greek Cypriot side and that the first shots would arrive at the end of December, early January.

The Greek Cypriot government in the summer said it had informed the EU it would need 1.2 million Covid-19 vaccines, to also cover the Turkish Cypriot community.

Pilli reportedly said that the TRNC is entitled to 30 per cent of the vaccines sent to Cyprus by the EU adding that the north expects to receive between 300,000 and 400,000 vaccines.

Under the program, health professionals will be vaccinated first and then people belonging to vulnerable groups of the population, over 65 year-olds, those with chronic diseases and other groups.

Pilli said there are already two storage facilities in the north where the Pfizer vaccines can be stored at minus 70 degrees Celsius, while it is expected that within a week two more facilities will be secured where 300,000 vaccines can be stored.

More than 1,300 coronavirus cases and 6 deaths have been reported so far in North Cyprus.