Cyprus is the first EU member-state to benefit from low-cost financing of €479 million from the SURE facility to protect the labour market from the adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the Finance Ministry said.

Cyprus health ministry announced it is continuing a free rapid testing program by expanding testing points to 16 while turning its focus on the capital Nicosia from Friday.

The health ministry said Thursday that a plan has been drawn up for the vaccination of the Cyprus public against coronavirus, noting that in cooperation with the government’s coronavirus expert task force, groups to get vaccinated first were determined on the basis of an algorithm.

A huge undertaking in Cyprus’ medical industry has been announced, with a local company saying they reached an agreement with Israel’s Hadassah Medical to set up a network of hospitals offering diagnostic, rehabilitative, and assisted living care on the island.

Dr Nikolas Dietis, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at the Medical School, University of Cyprus, said that most probably vaccinations against COVID-19 will begin in February 2021 and priority will be given to special groups of the population.

Larnaca Airport was highly commended by the Airports Council International (ACI Europe), in the category 5-10 million passengers at the Best Airport Awards 2020.

Russian low-cost carrier Pobeda, a subsidiary of the Aeroflot Group, announced it will resume a weekly flight connecting Larnaca with Moscow from December 4.

Labour Minister Zeta Emilianidou welcomed Wednesday the disbursal of €250 million through the European Commission’s SURE programme, which she said proved that the government’s handling of the fallout from the virus crisis was correct.

The European Commission on Wednesday approved a €22 million loan to Hermes Airports, operator of the  Larnaca and Paphos airports, as an aid after the challenges caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The European Commission said Wednesday that Cyprus continues to face excessive macroeconomic imbalances, particularly in view of the country’s very high percentage of non-performing loans that continue to plague the financial sector, but also in light of high private sector, government, and external debt.