Doctor Jankovic: Health care system is in danger, young people have become "Achilles heel"

Photo: Tanjug/AP

We find ourselves again in a situation where we have an ascending epidemic curve, an increase in the number of new patients and the healthcare system is in danger again, says immunologist Srdja Jankovic, adding that the first results of intensified preventive measures will be seen in a few days.

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Speaking for TV Prva he pointed out that he expects the epidemiological situation to become favorable in a few weeks, but also recalled that this depends to the greatest extent on the discipline of citizens.

"We hope to see the first results of the measures in a few days, so that transmission of the infection doesn't accelerate even more. And I hope that in a few weeks we will have a favorable epidemiological situation, but the measures must be consistently implemented and they must be effective," the immunologist pointed out.

He underlined that slowing down the spread of the infection reduces the overload of the system, but also that it's now essential to maintain physical distance, apply protection, above all by wearing masks where contact is inevitable, as well as regularly disinfecting hands and avoid gatherings and close contact.

Jankovic repeated that if a person is not in a risk group, that doesn't mean they can't contract Covid-19.

"A completely healthy and young person may have some factors predisposing them to develop a more severe clinical picture or a more dangerous infection than is immediately visible. We usually refer to that as 'an Achilles heel'," said Jankovic.

Srdja Jankovic; Photo: Tanjug/Serbian government/Slobodan Miljevic

When asked if only a lung scan gives a true picture of a patient's condition, Jankovic said that in some cases tests can return false negatives - at the end of the disease or at its peak - when the virus has already entered the lungs, and that in such cases a scan indicates characteristic changes in the lungs and provides information on whether Covid is present.

He pointed out that a set of several parameters gives a true overview of the situation.

"A combination of lab, clinical, epidemiological parameters gives us the most reliable path towards a diagnosis," said Jankovic.

(Telegraf.rs)