Kon on New Year, return from abroad: Measures, quarantine, isolation, state should close everything

Photo: Tanjug/Dragan Kujundzic

The endurance of the system is being tested to the limit, says epidemiologist and member of the Crisis HQ Dr. Predrag Kon.

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He told TV Prva that we will see the effects of the measures this week.

"We will see the results already during the first week. In Belgrade, it's visible that the number of new cases is starting to decrease slightly, but it should be clear that this is still at a high level. A large number of Belgraders are being treated outside Belgrade, regardless of the extraordinary solution that is the Covid hospital in Batajnica. The endurance of the system is being tested at its limits," said Dr. Predrag Kon and added that "we will already have from 1,200 to 1,400 for Belgrade today, but then we will also have 1,800 newly infected".

Asked about the fact that the feast of St. Nicholas - widely celebrated in Serbia as a family patron saint - is coming soon, followed by New Year and (Orthodox) Christmas holidays, Dr. Kon said that "the most important thing is the arrival of our people from abroad."

"Preparations must be made, there will have to be quarantine and isolation, this will be discussed at the next meeting," he explains.

Asked whether a PCR test would be mandatory for those returning to Serbia for the holidays, he said that professionals have made "a complete suggestion" about what to do, but stressed that it is "impossible to close borders."

Kon added that he believes that shutting down borders is difficult, but that the medical part of the Crisis HQ will not object if the state decides to go for this measure.

He also stressed that it is unlikely that there will be no measures for the New Year's holidays.

In addition, he said that Serbia is at the peak now, while Belgrade was at the peak in the previous two weeks.

"My opinion is that if we are unable to understand this situation, then the state must simply accept to shut everything down," he adds.

(Telegraf.rs)