"We will face with a lockdown for the next two weekends"

BELGRADE -- Epidemiologist Branislav Tiodorovic says all facilities will be closed during the weekend, except for pharmacies, grocery stores, food delivery and gas stations

Source: B92 Tuesday, 1.12.2020. | 23:09

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FOTO TANJUG/ ZORAN ZESTIC/bs

He said that the next two weekends will be organized that way, that is, until December 15.

"We are not asking for three months, we are asking for it to last at least until December 15, so we will assess whether we will continue like this or we will have good effects so we can mitigate the measures. We will have to organize two weekends with limited working hours. Let's enable the reduction of contacts", he told RTS.

"I would not use the term lockdown. This is not a state of emergency, but a limited working time," he explained.

Tiodorovic said that everything would be closed from 5 pm until Monday. "I personally was in favor of closing it earlier, we would not have Black Friday. I think that is a measure that should have been applied earlier," Tiodorović said. He added that it might suit some people not to work for the weekend and to be able to rest.

He added that there was no talk of curfew or state of emergency.

"I hope that the government will adopt this measure on Thursday. We left the markets open, although we know that there is an increased risk. The markets will be open until 3 pm for the weekend," he said.

An explanation as to why children under 10 go to school and others do not

Tiodorović responded why it is not the same now as in March, when all the students were attending online classes.

"We are completely clear that children under 10 do not have the AC-2 receptor necessary for the virus to bind to the cell, it is a very important fact. This recommendation was given by the WHO that children should go to school and that children at that age are not in danger. Only those who have asthma. That is the attitude of pediatricians. It was not said because 'there is no one to look after the children,'" Tiodorovic pointed out.

The Minister of Education, Branko Ružić, stated tonight that 126 children in preschool institutions, 2.321 students in primary schools and 2.151 high school students were infected with the coronavirus in Serbia.

Ruzic stated that 1.357 employees were infected in preschool institutions, 2.882 in primary schools, while 1.164 workers were infected in secondary schools.

"There is no reason to cause panic and provoke psychosis by saying that tens of thousands of students and employees are infected," Ruzic emphasized. Speaking about the transition to online classes, Ruzic said that the transition went "quite fine".

Restrictions will be introduced for entering the country for holidays

Tiodorović said that before the upcoming holidays, we will have to introduce measures for the citizens of Serbia who come from abroad.

"PCR test will be mandatory, whoever did not come with the test, must be quarantined for 10 days," said a member of the Crisis Staff.

He said that with the iron discipline, we can enter the new year more stable, and with the arrival of the vaccine and the increase of collective immunity, we can put situation under control in the spring.