Kon: This is second peak, young people getting sick, work of nightclubs and cafes should be limited

Photo: Tanjug/Serbian government/Slobodan Miljevic

Epidemiologist Predrag Kon told TV Pink this morning that the activity of coronavirus in the country is increasing, and that this is about the so-called second peak. He added that he wouldn't call it the second wave.

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"We practically did not come out of the first wave. This is an increase in activity, the second peak. It doesn't matter whether we call it a wave. I don't believe that it will reach the level of activity it had in the beginning," he said, adding that a large number of people born in the '80s and '90s are currently among the new patients, and that this is the population that is most in contact.

Kon also said that a long period of struggle is ahead, and that there are two options.

"Either this will end with the creation of collective immunity in a few years, or with vaccination," he said, adding that collective immunity according to research is below ten percent in Europe, which is insufficient.

However, he added that this is better than nothing.

Kon reiterated that the virus proved to be unpredictable, that not enough is known about it, as well as that it does not behave in a "natural" way.

"It doesn't have a clear season, it is obviously spreading during this time of year as well," he said, adding that the organizer is responsible for gatherings at sports events where people get infected.

"It's clear that the organizer is responsible. The virus cannot be stopped," he said, adding that out of more than 500 people who got infected with coronavirus in Serbia in the past few days, only one said they had attended the Red Star vs. Partizan football derby.

He also said that there were reinforcements during the derby, but not like now.

Kon recalled that in addition to caring for public health, there had been non-medical pressure, and that it was impossible to make exclusively medical decisions.

"On the other hand, there is economic pressure, or if you will, political. Someone expects opinion that is only medical should be singled out," he said, adding that his position does not match that assessment.

At the same time, he said that this situation will last.

"What is happening now is that we have a declared epidemic. We see that Novi Pazar has declared an extraordinary situation. That will probably be done in other places in the near future. This puts the spread under control. Everyone who deals with it should start to understand this, and again impose measures that were there before," the epidemiologist said, referring to restrictions in the work of nightclubs and cafes.

(Telegraf.rs)