Measures extended for 14 days, visits allowed to residents of facilities housing the elderly

(Patria) - Orders and recommendations of the Crisis Staff of the Federal Ministry of Health are issued with a validity period of 14 days, starting today, February 12, 2021, which is determined as the day of the beginning of the application of these orders and recommendations.

With the adopted order, the general measures of the previous order in force have been extended for the next 14 days, while the Order has been expanded in some parts.

Thus, in the part of the Order relating to institutions that care for and accommodate the elderly, institutions that care for and accommodate persons with developmental disabilities and persons with mental disorders, correctional institutions and other social protection institutions, "visits to persons accommodated in social protection institutions that care for and accommodate the elderly are allowed, provided that the institution has an internal plan for visits within the institution, as well as a crisis plan in case of the occurrence of the infectious disease COVID-19".

"Other social protection institutions, including social protection institutions that care for and accommodate persons with developmental disabilities and persons with mental disorders, as well as correctional institutions, must have an internal plan for visits and departures from the institution, as well as a crisis plan in case of the occurrence of the infectious disease COVID-19", the Order further states.

The Order has been expanded with the part relating to holding hearings in courts in the Federation of BiH:

"Except for point 2 of Chapter I. "General Orders" which stipulates that gatherings of no more than 30 people are allowed in enclosed spaces, holding hearings in the Supreme Court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is allowed, while respecting the hygienic-epidemiological recommendations of the Institute of Public Health of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are an integral part of this order, as well as on the condition that the size of the space in which the hearings are held allows for the implementation of the aforementioned measures", the Order states, and it "instructs the Crisis Staffs of the Cantonal/Zupanija Ministries of Health to, based on the assessment of the COVID-19 epidemiological situation and with the hygienic-epidemiological recommendations of the cantonal/zupanija public health institutes, issue orders for holding hearings in courts in the cantons/zupanijas, as well as municipalities, on the territory of the cantons/zupanijas, as well as municipalities".

The Order, among other things, still "mandates the wearing of protective masks over the mouth and nose for the protection of the respiratory system in enclosed spaces, while respecting a distance of at least 2 meters, as well as in open spaces":

"Exceptions to wearing protective masks include children under six years of age, persons who have breathing problems due to chronic diseases or who cannot remove the mask without the help of another person, e.g. persons with intellectual disabilities or developmental disorders, persons with hearing impairment, primary school students from the 1st to the 5th grade during classes in classrooms, athletes during matches, training and sports activities, drivers on bicycles, electric scooters and motorcycles".

The provision which "restricts the movement of the population throughout the entire territory of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM the following day" has also been extended, and the "cantonal/zupanija police administrations of the competent cantonal/zupanija ministries of internal affairs are responsible for controlling this provision in accordance with cantonal/zupanija regulations on public order and peace. The Crisis Staff of the Federal Ministry of Health, on 11.11.2020, sent an Instruction to the police administrations and ministries of internal affairs of the cantons on the application of this provision, which can be found HERE.

With the order applicable from 02/12/2021, among others, the provision which "orders business entities to reorganize the work of their employees, in places where it is not possible to maintain a distance of 2m between employees, by reorganizing working hours, organizing shift work, enabling remote work and applying other methods of performing work tasks that will not endanger activities and work processes, and will enable compliance with hygienic-epidemiological measures" has been extended.

By the Conclusion of the Government of FBiH, "governments of cantons or cantonal staffs of ministries of health are allowed to introduce more restrictive measures based on the assessment of the epidemiological situation in the canton or municipality, with regular notification of the Crisis Staff of the Federal Ministry of Health".

The Crisis Staff is tasked to, after the expiry of the 14-day period, assess the complete epidemiological situation of COVID-19 in the Federation of BiH and prepare a risk assessment, in order to consider the possibility and necessity of amending the orders and recommendations, and submit a proposal for new orders and recommendations to the Government of FBiH.

The Crisis Staff of the Federal Ministry of Health will send the conclusions with attachments to the crisis staffs of the cantonal ministries of health, cantonal ministries of health, health institutions in the cantons via cantonal crisis staffs, clinical centers in FBiH, general, cantonal and specialized hospitals via crisis staffs of cantonal ministries of health, Federal and cantonal administrations for inspection affairs and police administrations of cantonal ministries of internal affairs.

In accordance with the conclusion of 01/08/2021, the Government of FBiH will report to the Parliament of FBiH on the epidemiological situation in the Federation of BiH and the Government's measures taken to protect the health of citizens and reduce the risk of virus spread.

The recommendations of the Crisis Staff/Stožer of the FMZ to the population in the Federation of BiH recommend avoiding public and private gatherings and limiting their movements, and for elderly persons, especially those with chronic illnesses, to avoid unnecessary movements and the use of public transport, and to regularly use protective equipment.

In case of the appearance of symptoms such as: elevated temperature, cough, loss of smell or taste, it is recommended that persons with symptoms, as well as their household members, stay at home and contact their doctor by phone to receive further instructions.

The Government of the Federation of BiH, at its 251st session on 01/14/2021, amended the Decision on declaring the cessation of the state of emergency caused by the coronavirus (COVID - 19) in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

With this amendment, the Crisis Staff of the Federal Ministry of Health is tasked to continue monitoring and assessing the epidemiological situation in the FBiH and, based on that, submit proposals for measures and activities to prevent the spread of coronavirus to the Government of FBiH for consideration and adoption.

In this way, the Decision of the Constitutional Court of BiH on admissibility and merits of 12/20/2020 has been respected.