Crisis Staff: "Novak has a valid document, he tested positive for COVID-19"

Crisis Staff: "Novak has a valid document, he tested positive for COVID-19"

The document in question was a positive PCR test.

"With having been aware of the possibility of being prosecuted by Novak Djokovic, as any publication of medical documentation without the knowledge of the citizen is a crime, this is a positive PCR test", said the provincial secretary for health, Zoran Gojkovic.

He added that they closely analyzed the document that was published.

"We analyzed that document and it is absolutely valid, and for us that case is absolutely clear. Djokovic has a valid document that was positive," he said.

Asked whether it was true that Djokovic was informed a day later that he was positive for COVID-19, Gojkovic said that "it is another matter when Djokovic saw and opened the e-mail".

"That document was forwarded to the patient's address during that day in the late evening hours. What he did after that, I cannot comment on. It is a question for him and for the work of other state bodies," he concluded.

When asked about the sentence, Gojković said that "at this moment, there is no punishment with which he could be punished if he committed a violation" and added that the punishment was possible only in a state of emergency.

He also emphasized that he was sorry that Novak was not vaccinated.

"I am vaccinated and everyone in my environment, the government's message is that all citizens should be vaccinated. Some accept it and some don't. We live in a free world. Honestly, I am very sorry that Novak was not vaccinated, but I also defend his free will, although I absolutely disagree with that stance".

He also said that there is a broad concept between the freedom of vaccination and health, and that at this moment no state has introduced decision on mandatory vaccination.

"As a doctor and someone who realizes the benefits of immunization, I do not agree with that, but we obviously do not manage to reach everyone. We are overwhelmed with misinformation," Gojković concluded in his address to the media.

It should be reminded that after today's session of the Crisis Staff, new decisions were made regarding the price of testing, winter break, including the time period that should pass between the 2nd and 3rd dose of the vaccine.