Kon says Crisis HQ to meet by Friday, decide about diaspora: Current measures to extend to holidays?

Photo: Tanjug/Serbian government/Slobodan Miljevic

The Crisis HQ for the fight against Covid 19 should hold a session in the coming days, and the main topic this time will be new measures applying to our citizens intent on coming to Serbia from abroad for the holidays in the coming period. This was confirmed for Blic by epidemiologist Predrag Kon.

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The exact date of the new meeting of the Crising HQ is not yet known, but it is believed that it will be held by Friday at the latest.

"The medical part of the Crisis HQ is discussing new measures on a daily basis. We wrote the proposals, shaped them and sent them for consideration. They primarily concern measures applying to our citizens coming to Serbia for the New Year and Christmas holidays," Kon told Blic.

Among these proposals is the introduction of PCR testing upon entering our country, but also potential quarantine and self-isolation.

"Preparations must be made here, there will have to be quarantining and isolation, that will be discussed at the next meeting," he said.

Asked whether PCR testing will be mandatory for these citizens, he said that professionals made "a complete suggestion what to do" but also stressed that "closing borders is impossible."

"We proposed what should be done, the medical part of the Crisis HQ. There is no alternative, the alternative is the entry of a large number of people who don't know they are infected, who will develop the disease and seek hospitalization in Serbia, it cannot be expected that Serbia will withstand that. Closing the border is impossible, if the state makes that decision, we will not object. It is clear that has yet to be discussed," said Dr. Kon.

He also explains that if the decision had been to introduce maximum shutdowns, then the numbers would certainly not be so high, but at the same time life would stop.

"It's not up to me to make that assessment. Our biggest problem is not what happened, but what will come. We have to look ahead, the New Year's holiday is coming, even if we manage to calm it (the coronavirus surge) down a bit with these measures, by behaving as if nothing is happening, we will have an explosion after the New Year," he said earlier, the media reported.

The epidemiologist pointed out that the situation is assessed at the beginning of each meeting, and then measures are discussed, and we will find out when and whether they will be adopted after the session - but that new measures must be considered, since our healthcare system would not be able to take on such pressure.

It seems that our citizens in the diaspora are increasingly aware of the overall situation. They are eager to come to their country, visit relatives and friends, "recharge batteries" in their homeland, celebrate holidays according to local traditions and customs, but this time, as many have said, the situation is such that many will celebrate Christmas and New Year in the countries where they live and work, in compliance with the measures introduced due to coronavirus.

Existing measures remain during the holidays?

Speaking yesterday about the fact that many citizens have already booked their place in New Year's Eve parties, Kon pointed out that this is "not realistic."

"What some peole are doing, booking New Year's celebrations and parties, is simply not realistic at this moment," says Dr. Predrag Kon.

Currently cafes, restaurants, clubs and all other hospitality industry establishments must stay closed from 5 pm until 5 am on weekdays and during the entire weekend. For now, officially, this measure is in force only until December 15, but there is almost no doubt that it will be extended. And adoption of new measures is not being ruled out, either.

"For the holidays, the situation will be difficult because the pressure on hospitals will still be great. The measures will be in force as long as needed, I personally think that they could be stricter," Dr. Kon said a few days ago.

(Telegraf.rs)