Čerkez: For the holiday, restrict movement for those over 65 and under 18, and after 8 PM

SARAJEVO, (Patria) – Goran Čerkez, assistant federal minister for public health and a member of the Crisis Staff, said that a session of the Crisis Staff of the Ministry of Health was held this morning where they prepared a set of measures considering the epidemiological situation.

„The Covid-19 epidemic has not disappeared and we must be aware and adhere to the measures, especially personal self-protection. The May Day holidays are ahead of us, and the proposal will be to suspend the movement of persons aged 65 and under 18 during May 1, 2 and 3, and to restrict movement after 8 PM in the same period. We considered the situation and it would be very difficult to control gatherings that are not allowed, because even the ministries of interior cannot do that. Today in Bosnia and Herzegovina we have 94 new cases, we believe this risk would be unnecessary, therefore these measures would apply for these three holiday days“, said Čerkez.

On the website of the Institute for Public Health, we have established a platform for self-assessment of health status, the goal is to educate the population to recognize the symptoms of infection.

„In addition to the May Day holidays, we also considered the situation for the upcoming period. We are aware that we will have certain peaks and certain trends, we must restore life gradually and in a controlled manner, and whether we will have to reinstate measures over the weekend primarily depends on the citizens“, said Čerkez.

He said that the Crisis Staff of the Ministry gave a recommendation to the Federal Civil Protection Staff to open wholesale and retail stores next week, and that managers of health institutions should establish even better access to healthcare facilities.

„It is very important that we enabled small businesses to return, to bring life back, it will be very important to respect the measures regarding how many people can be in a store and what the measures are. We expect these shops to prepare and start by the middle of next week“, explained Čerkez.

Asked whether the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina will provide rapid tests considering border entries, Čerkez said they do not use that measure.

„Considering the entry of citizens and the entire epidemiological situation, we abolished quarantine and prescribed another measure that restricts movement. The question arises as to what measures will be needed when leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina for EU countries and when citizens enter. We will have to consider that, and rapid tests have not proven reliable even in some other countries“, said the assistant minister.

Whether there have been cases of coronavirus returning to people who have already recovered was one of the questions.

„We have not had cases, but we have had negative tests, and then in some other testing they were positive.“

Čerkez said that persons cured of coronavirus are considered those who have two negative tests for the virus within 48 hours.

„A vaccine does not yet exist, prevention does not exist, the only measure is self-protection and distance. The treatment itself within the hospital involves certain procedures as is done in the case of the flu. We consider every person cured after two negative tests within 48 hours. That is our criterion, as it is everywhere in the world“, said Čerkez.