Will PCR testing for our citizens coming to Serbia be mandatory even after January 10?

Whether stricter measures at the borders, which include mandatory PCR testing or ten days of quarantine for our citizens returning to the country, will be extended after January 10 will depend exclusively on the epidemiological situation, Serbian Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar said today.

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He made an appeal on everyone not to come out too early with a stance that the measures will be relaxed, stay the same or be stricter, because that causes confusion among citizens.

As he says, everything depends on the epidemiological situation at that moment - how many examinations there are, how many people are infected, hospital bed occupancy, vaccination coverage...

"Only based on that will we take measures. It's not our goal to harass someone, to make traveling difficult. For us, the protection of citizens and the healthcare system comes first," Loncar told reporters in Belgrade.

He stressed that, if the situation is good, all that is possible will be done to make it easier for citizens to enter and leave Serbia.

"It all depends on us. If we act according to recommendations, we will have better results, we will be able to relax those measures," the minister pointed out.

7,000 people received the vaccine

So far, more than 3,000 residents in nursing homes and about 4,000 healthcare workers have received the vaccine against coronavirus, Minister of Health of Serbia Zlatibor Loncar said today, and added that the plan is to vaccinate about 3,000 more people by the end of the week.

He also said that the immunization schedule and plan has been made and that 95 percent of the vaccines are already in those locations where they will be administered.

Loncar said that there are countries that have acquired the vaccine, but have not organized well in terms of vaccination.

Speaking about the epidemiological situation, he said that the number of examinations and hospital admissions is decreasing, but added that this is still not the real picture because people go to see the doctor less during the holidays.

"We will have the real situation after the holidays," said minister and added that the goal is to get out of the Covid system as soon as possible and return to the regular system of work - the Institute of Orthopedics Banjica, the Institute of Rheumatology, Occupational Medicine, some of the clinical and hospital centers, in order to joined the on-duty system and relieve the Emergency Center and the Military Medical Academy.

The minister says that the most important thing is to vaccinate as many citizens as possible, for the economy to start working normally.

"According to all estimates, immunity from two doses of the vaccine lasts for about six months, which means that we already have to prepare for the fall and start vaccinating healthcare workers, educators, civil servants who are in contact with citizens, at-risk categories," stated Loncar.

He also stressed that this will be a serious job before the healthcare system.

(Telegraf.rs)