Cyprus Health Ministry said on Tuesday that according to data, the number of COVID-19 cases among people of age groups that have been vaccinated has significantly dropped during the last period, whereas there is a big increase of cases among younger people.
The Ministry stressed that this shows the effectiveness of vaccinations as regards the reduction of the risk of getting sick and being treated in hospital. According to the data collectef by the Ministry`s Epidemiological Surveillance Unit, 6 out of 10 cases reported during the period from the 1st until the 10th of April 2021 concerned people whose age was 19-50 years old. More specifically from a total of 4,737 cases, 1,008 (21.3%) concerned people aged 19-29 years old, 907 (19.1%) people aged 30-39 years old and 707 (14.9%) people aged 40-49 years old.
During the same period, 579 COVID-19 cases of people aged 50-59 years old were reported. This group of people has currently priority for vaccination based on the Health Ministry`s vaccination programme.
The Health Ministry noted that contrary to what is happening with younger people, during the first ten days of April, COVID-19 cases that concerned people aged 70 years old and above, the vast majority of whom have been vaccinated with at least the first dose of the vaccine, have dropped significantly and constitute only 4% of the cases (188).
As regards the people who are hospitalized, it is noted that during the period from April 1 to 10, the average age of the patients treated in COVID-19 wards was 62.5 years old, and in Intensive Treatment Units 60.5 years old.
These figures show that even more younger people have severe symptoms and need to be treated in hospitals, the Ministry said.
It also noted that data indicate the need to promote and accelerate vaccinations, which protect people from getting sick, and reduce sharply the possibility of having patients treated in hospital or of more people losing their lives.