Paphos Life

Ann needs to avoid chest infections and I know in the UK pneumonia jabs are recommended for all over-65s. Does anyone know if these are available in Cyprus from public hospitals, or indeed privately? Any advice would be appreciated.

If you mean a flu jab (influenza, not pneumonia), then I understand you can buy one at any chemist and they inject you with it.
If you are registered with the General Hospital, then go see a Dr there and they will give you the prescription to be redeemed at the hospital pharmacy.

I don’t know about the general hospital re pneumonia jabs, but if you see a private doctor I’m sure it can be arranged. Private medicine in Cyprus is much more reasonable in price than in the UK.

Dee

Thanks for those replies. I was up at Polis Hospital this lunchtime and asked. Apparently both the flu jab and the pneumonia jab are available in their A & E department on demand.

To confirm, the flu jab is free and available if you are 65. Go to Registration and they will give you labels. Then go to A & E, and they will inject you. For a pneumonia jab, you need a prescription from a pulmonologist or a pathologist. Once you have that, then the same procedure applies.

I don't know if this vaccine is available her but it might be worth finding out. This vaccine is being given to over 65's in the UK.

"The newly available ‘adjuvanted’ vaccine is expected to significantly boost effectiveness by improving the body’s immune response to the vaccine. This is important because typically, older adults’ bodies do not respond as well to the flu vaccine due to their naturally weaker immune systems".

A quote from "Mac, To confirm, the flu jab is free and available if you are 65. Go to Registration and they will give you labels".

At the General recently for my Flu inoculation, I did not have to go to the registration, just knocked on the clinic door went in showed my medical card, they stamped it and I had the jab, in and out in a few minutes, parking, on the other hand, is another question, also remember they have a coffee break at 10am, no idea for how long,

You do NOT need labels or to register for the flu jab.. Just go to the Marked door in the corridor with your medical card

You do need labels at Polis. They love labels. I know some members here use Polis Hospital and hope this information helps them.

Isn't it strange how two local Government hospitals are different. I assume you have to pay for the labels at Polis, even if you are retired

trevnhil wrote: ↑Sat Nov 17, 2018 10:15 am Isn't it strange how two local Government hospitals are different. I assume you have to pay for the labels at Polis, even if you are retired

Surprisingly not. Just ask for the labels and they enter the reason on the computer, and that is that. No money changed hands.

Even stranger than that, I have had to take my wife twice to Polis A & E recently. There is meant to be a €10 charge - but on both occasions the money was refused. On the second occasion I asked why and was told that Polis Hospital was in disagreement with the Cyprus government about something and were refusing to collect the fee. When she was transferred to Paphos General she spent some time in A & E, and I was asked for the fee there. So obviously Paphos Hospital knows about the situation at Polis.

A couple of years ago I had my usual 'flu jab at the General, and asked about having the one for pneumonia. I was told that one of the doctors needed to give me a prescription. When I saw the doctor he asked if I'd had pneumonia in the past. I said I hadn't, so he told me I didn't need it (or they wouldn't do it). However, the situation may have changed......

trevnhil wrote: ↑Sat Nov 17, 2018 9:23 am You do NOT need labels or to register for the flu jab.. Just go to the Marked door in the corridor with your medical card

As I posted Trev above this, no need to go to registration.

But you do at Polis

I realise this is an old thread, but on Thursday 18th Feb
I had appointment with pneumologist ( chest doctor ) at
General Hospital and he suggested I get the pneumonia jab.
He wrote a prescription there and then and I went to the
place where they do the jabs and had it done - FREE.

In November 2020 I went to Dr Dora of the Blue Cross for a flu jab. While I was there I asked about the lifetime pneumonia vaccination. She confirmed that she had a small supply in and it would cost me €90.