President Nicos Anastasiades on Monday received the second dose of a Covid vaccine, some three weeks after the first jab.

After spending the mandatory 15 minutes at Latsia health centre, where the vaccine was administered, the president urged people to be patient.

“We are at the stage where vaccines are being delivered,” he said. “Of course, we expect that a higher number will provide the opportunity for us to achieve the immunisation of the biggest possible part of the population.”

Anastasiades expressed satisfaction with the lower number of infections in recent days but at the same time said he was especially concerned over the rising number of hospital admissions due to Covid.

The president expressed gratitude towards medical staff, saying those in the frontline were “heroes” who achieved Cyprus being among countries that have successfully managed the pandemic.

He said he too could not bear the situation created by the measures, but it was “necessary unfortunately” to tackle the pandemic.