These are new opening hours of cafes and malls: Details of proposed easing of Covid restrictions

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Members of the Crisis HQ for the fight against coronavirus met at the Palace of Serbia at 8 am today and decided to extend opening hours of hospitality establishment and shopping centers. The next step is for the government to adopt their proposals later in the day.

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Until Friday, the work of shopping centers, cafes and restaurants will be extended until 8 pm. For now, this measure is time-limited until Friday.

HQ member epidemiologist Branislav Tiodorovic notes that all epidemiological measures that must be respected during shopping remain in force.

He pointed out that the measures will take effect immediately, but they are time-limited until Friday, and that these five days will serve to analyze and assess the epidemiological situation which will determine whether these measures will be extended, changed or amended.

"It's very important that Covid stewards carry out controly in shopping malls as they should and as planned. Also, we will support all service businesses staying open until 8 pm on working days, because it is obvious that the population needs to use their services, while respecting all the measures. Cafes and restaurants can work until 8 pm, respecting all the measures that are well known to everyone, without using music in any sense," said Professor Dr. Tiodorovic, explaining that the virus is easier to transmit with music (i.e., singing).

He added that this decision was made because the number of first examinations in Covid clinics has decreased.

Cultural institutions can remain open until 9 pm, as decided durig the previous session held last Friday.

More on New Year's Eve measures on Friday

Epidemiologist and member of the Crisis HQ Branislav Tiodorovic says that New Year's Eve is being considered and that measures regarding that will depend on the epidemiological situation.

After today's session of the Crisis HQ, he told the journalists that he would be able to say something more specific about the measures regarding the New Year celebrations on Friday, when a new meeting of the Crisis HQ is scheduled to take place.

"This is being intensively thought about, but it will depend on the epidemiological situation. We will only be able to say something more specific about that on Friday," said Tiodorovic.

(Telegraf Biznis)