Protest against Covid vaccinations, restrictions from Paphos to Nicosia

[memory man]

A small but loud group demonstrated on Saturday against Covid-19 vaccinations and restrictions the island’s authorities are imposing to try to contain the fast-spreading virus.

The car procession kicked off from Paphos Stadium, passed through Limassol and Larnaca and ended at Eleftherias Square in Nicosia, the capital, where protesters came out of their cars and sent out their messages.

They were holding banners saying ‘My body, my rules-Leave us alone’ ad shouted slogans such as ‘No Masks, No Jabs’.

Police had warned around 1pm that traffic jams were observed in parts of Nicosia.

https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/protest ... ia-photos/


https://cyprus-mail.com/2022/02/12/cypr ... o-nicosia/

[Dominic]

A very small minority.

[trevnhil]

I couldn't see any masks at all in the picture Yes I know that was the point of the demonstration.

[Kili01]

I wonder how many of these people either have caught Covid or will get it?
Yes,I know some people can't wait for restrictions and mask wearing to end. But the number of people in intensive care and the recent increased number of deaths is a good reason! I think to keep these measures here.
Dee

[Oxfordboy]

What are the real goals of the WEF, out of interest?

[Jim B]

Lloyd
Reading the posts here, like Anti Vaxxers, your opinion appears to be in the minority. Few posters seem to be as concerned about wearing face masks as you are.

[JimX]

They will change their minds when the breathing pipe goes down their throats.

[Jim B]

Lloyd
Reading the posts here, like Anti Vaxxers, your opinion appears to be in the minority. Few posters seem to be as concerned about wearing face masks as you are.

I’m not an anti vaxer, had all 3 jabs with no regrets but I do agree with HIC 100%. Current restrictions need to be abolished and some form of normality needs to return. As for masks it is now generally accepted that both the disposable and home made cloth masks being used by the vast majority, simply have no effect. One leading adviser in American stated that cloth masks are little more than face decorations.
Like HIC I believe that hospital cases will continue to fall (whether real or fabricated) because Cyprus has no appetite for missing another year of tourism income.

Your'e still in the minority.

[trevnhil]

The disposable masks (blue pleated) seem to be the ones that all Hospitals, Clinics, and Doctors are wearing. Both in this country and certainly the UK..
I have gone for the next grade up, the FFP2

[Oxfordboy]

As for masks it is now generally accepted that both the disposable and home made cloth masks being used by the vast majority, simply have no effect. One leading adviser in American stated that cloth masks are little more than face decorations.

CDC in the US disagrees with you:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nc ... rings.html

[Jim B]

The disposable masks (blue pleated) seem to be the ones that all Hospitals, Clinics, and Doctors are wearing. Both in this country and certainly the UK..
I have gone for the next grade up, the FFP2

We wear the same Trev. If the correct masks are worn then they are effective. The transmission of Flu has been radically reduced because of mask wearing which must prove something.

[wantoosoon]

We should get rid of the safepass because it's pointless and rarely properly implemented anyway. Same goes for the mass testing regime. I think there's value to keeping indoor mask usage in public places and encouraging people to wash their hands and stay vigilant. Incentives for getting vaccinated/boosted should be increased.

Otherwise, I'm happy to get rid of all restrictions. If things continue on a downward trend for a few more weeks, ditch the masks too.

[jeba]

The disposable masks (blue pleated) seem to be the ones that all Hospitals, Clinics, and Doctors are wearing. Both in this country and certainly the UK..
I have gone for the next grade up, the FFP2

Which makes a lot of sense, not only to protect yourself (if worn correctly). They also reduce transmission by infected persons by 80% in real life (i.e. most probably if not worn correctly).

[WHL]

All these anti vaxer / conspiracie twats should be exempt from wearing masks and following the rules that the rest of us abide by,
on one condition, if they get struck down with covid , they will have to pay all costs to be treated out of their own pocket, the majority of these rent a mob, will put a mask on faster then anything

[Jim B]

All these anti vaxer / conspiracie twats should be exempt from wearing masks and following the rules that the rest of us abide by,
on one condition, if they get struck down with covid , they will have to pay all costs to be treated out of their own pocket, the majority of these rent a mob, will put a mask on faster then anything

I was reading an article yesterday (I read a lot of articles )
about the protests in Canada and how an Ultra Right Wing Group was funding the Anti Vax protests more for political gain than in relation to Covid.
In fact this morning on Sky News there was a report covering the same subject and interviews of certain right wing politicians.

[Dominic]

To me that sums up all that is wrong with politics. The notion that there is a left and a right, and everything is either in one category or the other, and if you are in one category then anything that is in the other category must be wrong.

Politics needs to grow up. Just watch a political debate from the 70s and compare it to the dross now.

Here's an example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82CmJlf-Deg

Politicians acting like adults, from across the political spectrum.

[Steve - SJD]

I would imagine that most people would like to the see the restrictions removed as soon as possible and when safe to do so.

However, I think Cyprus should follow it's own path and not look to blindly follow other countries who may be at a different stage of the pandemic.

Yes other countries are relaxing restrictions now, but let's not forget that last month saw the highest number of deaths in Cyprus since the
pandemic started. February as a shorter month will probably be lower but the numbers will not be insignificant.

It certainly doesn't look to be "over" yet in Cyprus so a cautious approach to the removal of restrictions seems to me to be the best option.

Cheers

Steve

[Dominic]

...but let's not forget that last month saw the highest number of deaths in Cyprus since the pandemic started. Cheers. Steve

It has been reported that these people were long term hospitalisations from earlier, more harmful variants; not from Omicron.

Where was this reported? Can you give a link please.

[staffie]

that's what I heard also, I think it was reported on viva news radio, that it was the Delta variant for most of the hospital patients.

[Steve - SJD]

...but let's not forget that last month saw the highest number of deaths in Cyprus since the pandemic started. Cheers. Steve

It has been reported that these people were long term hospitalisations from earlier, more harmful variants; not from Omicron.

It's certainly true, according to the reports, that the overwhelming majority of cases in the ICU at the moment have contracted the Delta variant - i'm less sure though as to what variant those who have died had. If the more harmful variant is still circulating in the community then that potentially reinforces the need for a cautious and tailored approach to relaxations.

Regardless, whatever the variant, the death toll is still high at the moment, which would be unlike a simple flu that doesn't have the same mortality rate.

I just feel that it is a little premature to be thinking that Cyprus is now in the clear and comparable to other countries who are at different stages, at a time when it has the highest death rate.

I sometimes feel that we are all so sick of hearing about coronavirus that the numbers often lose their meaning. If 100+ people died on the roads of Cyprus last month I doubt there would be calls for people to learn to live with it. Perhaps not the best analogy but the point is we are still talking significant numbers.

I completely understand the frustration, and am not suggesting that there shouldn't be any relaxations. I am suggesting that a cautious approach should be taken based specifically on the data in Cyprus without comparison to other countries.

Of course it may well be that the majority of those dying at the moment have no history of vaccination - which may put a different perpective on things for some.

Cheers

Steve