Final decision: Curfew starts on Thursday at 6 pm, lasts until Saturday at 5 am

Photo: Tanjug/Andrija Vukelic

The Crisis HQ for combating coronavirus today adopted a proposal by the Serbian government for the curfew to start today at 6 pm and to last last until Saturday, May 2, at 5 am, Telegraf.rs has learned.

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During this period, citizens aged over 65 will be able to go outside twice for an hour-long walk.

A measure has been adopted that will apply after the curfew stating that no more than two people may be together in public.

Standard overnight curfew will then follow on Saturday and Sunday, starting at 6 pm and ending at 5 am each day.

Experts were in favor of the curfew starting this afternoon and lasting all the way through 5 am on Monday. However, President Aleksandar Vucic said last night that the government would propose to the Crisis HQ a model, that was eventually adopted today.

Epidemiologist Predrag Kon, a member of the Crisis HQ told RTS this morning that a compromise had been found, but was he was not happy about it. He also said that the intention that the professionals had was to make this weekend's the last curfew and for pensioners to be able to relax.

Humid air does not favor transmission of virus

Kon later said at a web conference that he was terribly angry, because no one was thinking about those over the age of 65, that they too should be able to go out for a walk. He also explained that it was good that the weather would be humid during this coming May Day weekend, which does not favor the transmission of the virus.

Photo: Tanjug/Serbian government/Slobodan Miljevic

"I have to tell you, I have an emotion about that. I'm terribly angry that no one understands what we're talking about. Nobody sees it. No one realizes that the disease is deadly, they do not understand because we have succeeded prevented mass dying here. Now it turns out that we're making stuff up. People will come out and say that this was nothing. And those who remain silent will continue to remain silent. It's good that it's going to be raining. It will be humid so it (the virus) will not be able to transfer. But no one thought of those who are 65 or older. No, they can still remain locked down. The entire holiday was intended for the relaxation of the elderly. As a citizen, I am angry that no one is thinking of those over 65 years of age, starting with those protesting against the measures," he said, adding that we would have had 10 times more dead if we had not applied all the measures.

The upcoming curfew, by the way, is the last that Serbia should have that will last more than 12 hours.

There is a possibility of lifting the state of emergency next week, and as President Vucic explained last night, it would mean that there would be no more curfews, either.

(Telegraf.rs)