Pelemis: This is a brief lull, but those returning from abroad vcould spread coronavirus

Photo: Tanjug/Serbian Government/Slobodan Miljevic; pixabay.com

Professor Dr. Mijomir Pelemis, an infectologist, is warning that there is a real danger that those returning from vacationing abroad will "spread" coronavirus around Serbia.

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"We now have a lull in the epidemic, but personally I don't believe it will last long, most likely less than a month. I am not so much worried about the beginning of the school year as the return of (university) students, whose discipline cannot be counted on as with (other) students. It should be seriously considered to organize exams online, like in developed western countries," Dr. Pelemis has told Novosti.

As this Belgrade newspaper writes, there will be no significant easing of coronavirus measures, at least for now. No mandatory PCR test or quarantine will be introduced for those returning from vacations in those countries that have a less favorable epidemiological situation.

There is no consensus among members of the Crisis HQ about introducing quarantine, which could replace a negative PCR test upon return to the country. That proposal was "on the table" once before, but did not "pass" and unless there is drastic worsening of the epidemiological situation, it will probably not be considered again.

Some members of the Crisis HQ, those from its medical portion of it, are convinced that the introduction of the PCR test or quarantine upon return to Serbia, however, would prolong the "break" between this wave of the epidemic, which is on a downward trajectory, and the next one. Although we have had about 50 new positive cases for two days in a row, the percentage of positivity is low, considering that 9,932 people had been tested in the previous 24 hours. However, most of them get tested for travel abroad.

"There are about 30,000 people outside of Serbia, mostly in the countries of the region that have many more infection cases related to the number of inhabitants than in our country. Their return to the country poses a serious epidemiological risk," says one of the members of the Crisis HQ.

Most members of the Crisis HQ, according to what Novosti has learned, insist that the measures banning gatherings should not be lifted. They would tolerate, they say, a slight increase in the number of people in one place, which is now limited to 10, but certainly not to the extent that would allow large weddings to be organized at the time of year when most big weddings take place in Serbia.

It is important, say epidemiologists, that the peaceful period of the epidemic be maintained for as long as possible, and therefore allow the health system to rest.

(Telegraf.rs)