When asked whether the epidemiologists contributed to the decision to end the state of emergency Deputy Director of the Batut Public Health Institute, Darija Kisic Tepavcevic, said that there are no compromises when it comes to health and that all professional decisions have been “unanimous and uniform”. The epidemiologist Predrag Kon added that he had no doubts about the abolition of the state of emergency.
“We found a compromise for the May Day holidays when we had somewhat different views, but in the end, we all agreed. A compromise was not necessary for this final decision because the decline in virus activity is clear,” Kon said at the press conference.
He underlined that the objective was not to maintain the state of emergency but to return to a normal life.
Tepavcevic said that even after the state of emergency is lifted, epidemiological surveillance will still go on.
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Responding to the question about the public appearances and statements of pneumologist Branimir Nestorović and the fact that he often expresses different opinions from theirs, Tepavčević said that she does not think that his opinions are the opposite.
“They are the opinions of an experienced doctor, made from his point of view. We are more concerned with the preventive side, but in no way our opinions conflict,” she said.
Kon added that an epidemiologist cannot say that the epidemic is over when Serbia has new cases of infection every day.
Kisic Tepavcevic said that if the virus survives the summer it is certain that the “second tide of infections” will appear in autumn, adding that “both the state and the citizens are ready”.
“The virus will never present itself in this form and never again to this extent. We hope to translate it into a harmless form that causes mild colds or asymptomatic forms of the disease,” concluded Kisic-Tepavcevic.
(N1, 06.05.2020)
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