The role of the Civil Defence in fighting the coronavirus COVID-19

Defence Redefined

26/03/2020

 

The Civil Defence, according to an announcement by the Press and Information Office, has been active all over Cyprus since 27/3/2020, in addition to its already defined duties, so as to deal with the pandemic of COVID-19. The announcement states that the role of Civil Defence is to help the police and the municipalities in relation to the implementation of the Decree of the 24th of  March 2020 to limit traffic.

Permanent staff and volunteers will take part in the mobilization. In the first phase, the mobilization will last until April 14, 2020. If the decree is extended, the specific action will be extended as well.

The statement reminds that the Civil Defence already:

Has the coordinating role and is the point of contact for assistance from the European Civil Protection Mechanism. It has already been activated for the repatriation of citizens who were in Peru.

Provides paramedical consumables, being kept in stock, to other Critical Services.

Assembles tents on behalf of the Ministry of Health or other Government Agencies, for their own purposes, in the context of the fight against coronavirus.

Has provided telephone landlines and its Operations Control Center to other government agencies.

Responds by telephone, on behalf of the Ministry of the Interior, to citizens’ questions which, however, do not concern medical issues, by staffing a special center under the direction of the Press and Information Office.

In the current crisis, based on the Special National Plan for fighting the pandemic, the Ministry of Health has the leading role, while the Civil Defence has been assigned with the role of supporting other State Services.