Dr. Kon: 3rd wave rising, risky places should be closed, restricting movement is last measure

Photo: Tanjug/Serbian government/Slobodan Miljevic, Pixabay

Epidemiologist and member of the Crisis HQ, Dr. Predrag Kon, said this morning that the coronavirus epidemic is accelerating and that we are in the midst of the rise of the third wave. He pointed out that restricting movement is in the last resort, that risky places should be closed first, and said that Belgrade has had an exponential growth of the infection.

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In Serbia, the number of 1,000 newly infected people on a daily bases was exceeded on Tuesday, while five more patients died. Due to the big spike in the Covid numbers, President Aleksandar Vucic will address the public.

"The introduction of measures must be in line with the situation, beside there being an increasing number of people in hospitals. For now, the most important thing is to inform our citizens, I would like to stress that to everyone in Belgrade, to avoid gatherings and places defined as places of infection. To wear a barrier, a mask, I want to emphasize that, we are not wearing them to harass someone or ourselves, but to have a barrier towards the virus. We protect others, ourselves, by protecting ourselves, together. We help each other. There is currently no smarter way to slow down the virus. Everything else is much more restrictive, it will hit the economy and bring along many other problems," he told RTS.

When it comes to new measures, Kon says that he assumes that the president will give his vision and guidelines in today's address.

"As a medical member of the Crisis HQ, I cannot act as if I live outside of society. I will listen to his every word very carefully, not because I want to raise him especially, he did it himself at the right time, during the first wave. Why is it important if someone says that we cannot endure it economically - then that should be accepted, there's no other way. If the situation is so bad that regardless of the fact that we cannot endure it economically, serious restrictions must be introduced, then we will have to make a decision and say it loud and clear. For now, what I am saying is relevant to this situation. The mask - this barrier is the smartest thing we have, so that we don't have lockdowns," he said, adding:

"We have to change the collective consciousness, it's not always a good thing, it can lead to wrong actions. We need it now, though."

He stressed that it is clear to everyone that restricting movement of people is the last option.

"Before that, it should be ensured that contacts do not happen, that everything that is a place of infection is simply not given a chance. Such places should be banned. Various measures, such as the ban on public gatherings, currently in force for 30 people - we will see how many it will be. It's not my job to go ahead with that information, it's a collective decision," said Dr. Kon.

He commented on the second wave and the numbers, but also the stories about contacts no longer being tracked.

"There had been trips in the second wave, so there weren't that many cases, now the seasonal character (of the virus) is appearing, I have to say that. The usual way of respiratory viruses is to have greater potential because of our behavior. Collective immunity we do not have - we can now use collective consciousness to slow down the spread of the virus. Until a vaccine arrives, that is the only thing that can seriously protect us," he said:

Photo: Tanjug/Tara Radovanovic

"I have to strongly deny it, people do not see us working long hours, I do not know of another way out. Epidemiological services in Serbia work in four shifts, continuously. A colleague gets a hundred contacts, there, investigate. You have to examine each one. Contacts are very much looked into, and stories about absolutely everyone being tested are simply not realistic, not feasible. Those with indications and symptoms are tested and that will continue. Laboratory testing of contacts would be ideal, we strive towards that, but we cannot expect it to come true," Dr. Kon explained and added that there is no evidence that the virus has weakened, so we must not relax.

"The virus is the only enemy, the only one towards whom we should show our inat (indignant stubbornness)."

(Telegraf.rs)