Crisis Staff called for more restrictive measures; "We might introduce COVID passes"

Crisis Staff called for more restrictive measures; "We might introduce COVID passes"

After the session, the Prime Minister of Sebija, Ana Brnabić, addressed the media. The Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, said that the numbers are better than yesterday, even though they are still very high. "Last week, we had the worst day out of almost 8.500 infected people," she reminded at the beginning of her address.

As she said, the positive thing is that the difference between the number of hospitalized and discharged is decreasing.

"We have 79 local governments that have more than 50 percent of the adult population, but 4 that have less than 30 percent, which is unbelievable," she said.

"The medical part of the Crisis Staff requested that we introduce a 10-day ban on public gatherings of up to 10 people, shortening working hours to 5 pm for all sectors of activity except essential activities and the medical sector, hospitals. If these measures would bring good results, then COVID passes might be introduced, but that vaccination is the only solution", Brnabic said.

She once again stated that the medical part of the Crisis Staff asked for more restrictive measures, but that it was still decided to continue as before. "I appeal to everyone, get vaccinated." The Prime Minister emphasized that we reached the number of 8.000 new patients with a weak vaccination.

"Medical part of the crisis staff serves to advise us. They clearly said their advice, I have more dilemmas here. My dilemmas are: What will we do when we introduce these measures? I am not interested in politics or economics. I am interested in how to win this as soon as possible. The only way to win this is through vaccination", the prime minister said.

She said that she knows that when restrictive measures are introduced, the number of infected people will fall quickly, but when the measures are abolished, a large part of the population will return to weddings and birthday celebrations.

"We have the answer and we have the solution - it is vaccination. If we talk about other restrictive measures - I do not believe in vaccination. I believe in the mind and responsibility of our citizens and I believe in vaccination."

She emphasized that we have to pay the price for our irresponsible behavior. "Now it is important that we talk only and exclusively about vaccination. We have a solution, it is around every corner. I believe that people will be vaccinated."

When it comes to trust in the Crisis Staff, the Prime Minister said that there are different opinions. "The Crisis Staff didn't make the vaccine. It was made by a pharmaceutical company. Some don't believe in COVID or they believe in COVID. I think there are more and more people who believe in COVID."

When it comes to vaccinating young people, she said that young people perceive coronavirus as "ordinary flu".

"As for young people and vaccination, I talked about it and I will talk with students and their organizations about what we will be able to do next. The Delta strain strongly affects young people, so they have serious forms of the disease. We have a number of young people who unfortunately died because they were infected with the coronavirus, and they were not vaccinated, which is terrible because we could realistically prevent that", Prime Minister stated.

As for the COVID passes, the Prime Minister said that a lot was thought about it. "We have them ready, it is possible that we will introduce them soon." When it comes to mandatory vaccination, the Prime Minister pointed out that this obligation can be introduced, but that nothing can be done on that issue when someone does not want to be vaccinated. She emphasized that she thinks that things are changing because there is more talk about vaccination.

"We have people getting vaccinated again."

Medical part of the Crisis Staff previously announced that there are only two options.

They said that they would insist on one of two things - either a pass or restrictive measures, which means shortening working hours of catering facilities and reducing the number of people in the closed space.

Medical part of the Crisis Staff unanimously agrees with what Prof. Dr Branislav Tiodorović said yesterday. Epidemiologist and member of the Crisis Staff, Dr Branislav Tiodorović, previously announced that it is possible to tighten the measures after the session of that body.

Members of the Crisis Staff who are not medical professionals will strongly oppose further lockdowns, said the Minister of Construction, Tomislav Momirović. He stated that in the conditions when we have provided vaccines, we cannot close the economy. Speaking at the Belgrade Economic Forum, Momirovic said that everyone must be vaccinated and that those who do not want to do so are practically "killers".

Before today's session of the Crisis Staff, the media state that, if the medical part of the staff is obeyed, some epidemiological measures in our country could be tightened. According to the media, the medical part will ask for the return of those measures that were in force in the third wave at the end of last year and at the beginning of this year - in November, December and January.

A source from the Crisis Staff said that the medical part agreed that measures must be taken to prevent contacts, which primarily concern the limitation of working hours, as well as the allowed number of people at gatherings indoors. However, they immediately suspect that other part of the staff will consider it.