Dramatic letter from quarantine at Bjelave: Locked up for 14 days, learned from the media they are negative

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Two female passengers (identities known to the editorial office) who, after returning from Italy on March 27, were placed with other passengers in Pavilion 2 of the Bjelave Student Dormitory where they were ordered a 28-day quarantine despite being negative for coronavirus, sent a letter today to several addresses describing the situation and conditions they are in.

"We have been locked up for 14 days. When we arrived, we were met with a room in terrible conditions and no one told us when we would be tested or what was happening. We can send you recordings of the room later, the toilet and floor were full of dust and hair. Later, the situation improved, we received cleaning supplies, the food got better, and we were tested that week. Lactose and gluten intolerances were even respected. However, today is the 14th day we have been at Bjelave, the food is getting worse, the dormitory constantly smells of cigarettes, many misinformation is circulating about when we will be released, and no one is giving us the real information.

We have been locked up against our will for 14 days. Our freedom is completely limited to 15 m2 as if we were criminals. We have not done anything illegal to deserve such treatment. Why were we not allowed to continue our isolation in our homes? Being locked up for 14 days without access to a yard, balcony, or kitchen is worse treatment than what some prisoners receive. Passengers of the Diamond Princess ship had daily access to the deck even though almost all of them tested positive for COVID-19. The 20 of us who came from Italy are negative, something we learned from the news and not from a medical expert or messenger personally, and yet we are treated worse. Why? Can someone tell us when we will be released?" these two female passengers asked in today's address to the authorities.

They also state that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), it makes no sense for them to be in quarantine for more than 14 days if they are negative and show no symptoms.

"The recommended isolation period is 14 days, which has passed. 28 days of isolation for healthy people, who are not criminals, under these conditions is senseless. On what basis was this decision made? Based on which recommendations? Can you tell us when we will be released from forced isolation? What are the next steps? Will we at least be unlocked? We ask you to consider our situation as it negatively affects our mental health, given that we returned from our studies, our lives have been disrupted, exams are ongoing, and we are locked up without the possibility of any recreation," state the two students.

They sent the letter to the Federal Ministry of Health, the Minister of Health of Sarajevo Canton Rusmir Mesihović, the Director of the Federal Civil Protection Administration and Head of the Federal Civil Protection Staff Fahrudin Solak, and the Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton Marijo Nenadić.