Test-free entry to TRNC starts from Tuesday, March 1

Health experts concerned that decision may cause rise in Covid-19 positive cases

WHILE the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases originating from the Omicron variant continues, the Infectious Diseases High Council’s decision that vaccinated persons can enter the country without testing as of Tuesday, March 1 has raised some concerns.

Health experts underlined that although those who are vaccinated experience mild symptoms and have a lower death rate, this does not prevent illness.

There are expert opinions that the Infectious Diseases High Council’s decision that no tests will be required from people who are fully vaccinated or who have had the disease within the last 180 days to enter the country may endanger public health.

Speaking to Cyprus Today’s sister paper Kıbris, Cyprus Turkish Medical Association President Dr Özlem Gürkut stated that the vaccine does not prevent catching Covid-19 and noted that someone who is vaccinated but is positive, from both abroad and in the country, can spread the disease and cause at-risk individuals to get the illness severely.

Dr Gürkut said that if the Covid-19 rules are not implemented due to economic concerns, this will lead to economic loss because the working population will catch the disease and that vaccinated people can also catch Covid-19 and be contagious.

Dr Gürkut emphasised that fully vaccinated people who enter the country without being tested may be positive.

CASES INCREASED

Dr Gürkut recalled that even when the TRNC had zero cases and people from abroad were entering the country with a PCR test, with some tests being fake, things were missed resulting in a rise in positive cases in the days that followed.

Stressing that inspections are of great importance for increasing compliance with the rules in general, especially in closed areas, Dr Gürkut said that there are already too many positive cases in the country and that this will increase if people continue to disobey the rules.

‘FIVE PEOPLE DIED IN A DAY’

Dr Gürkut said, “Society has become seriously remiss thanks to statements made by our leaders creating a perception that there is no Covid-19 anymore and Omicron is like a cold”.

Dr Gürkut emphasised that this was ignored when the number of cases was around 600-700 and while five people tragically lost their lives to Covid-19 in one day.

She said that Covid-19 is still an important disease that threatens public health and that, “Everyone now knows the rules. We don’t want to spend all day telling people to wear a mask and follow the rules anymore.

“We know they are frustrated but we have to do this if we want to protect the elderly, those at risk and young children who are unvaccinated.”

Dr Gürkut stated that the Netherlands has started to demand a PCR test from vaccinated people entering their country and that the Infectious Diseases High Council here must be asked if the decision not to ask for a PCR test from vaccinated people coming here was taken out of “economic concerns”.