Nauseda takes over the management of the coronavirus crisis: brings together experts

After the meeting, it was announced that G. Nausėda had decided to establish a council of health experts to help control the coronavirus. Between 20 and 25 of the leading experts in their field are expected to join this council.

It will also establish general guidelines for testing and vaccination.

According to Simon Krėpšta, senior adviser to the president, the council will need to ensure the smoothest possible management of the pandemic while staffing the Ministry of Health changes.

During his meeting with experts on Thursday morning, G. Nausėda also discussed other important topics: general guidelines for testing and vaccination.

When asked by journalists why such a group is needed, if the government already has a health committee, S. Krėpšta replied that he had listened to requests from the doctors themselves.

“Currently, there is no single unit in Lithuania, which would bring together a large circle of experts and they would work on the issue of data analysis evaluation, ending with the issues of medical institutions.

We see the significance of such a structure especially during the transition period, when one government finishes its work and another begins, ”said G. Nausėda’s adviser.

At the same time, S. Krėpšta added: “The President emphasized that the measures already taken were adequate and continues to uphold that view. But with new information every day, we have to think about whether it is necessary to change something or not. That is what scientists should say, medical experts, and the executive should make final decisions based on the voice of the experts. “

The council is expected to present specific recommendations to the Lithuanian authorities by the end of next week.

Currently 3 main groups are being formed, which will start working next week.

The situation has changed

One of the experts who met with the president, Professor E. Sužiedėlienė, pointed out that the situation has now changed and new decisions must be made: “Working in a government group, although not in one, but in several formats, is really done. We will continue to use that work.

But I want to emphasize that we have already changed the situation. “Both in the political and health fields, so new decisions have to be made.”

Quarantine is inevitable

According to Professor Mindaugas Stankūnas, such a group has long been needed.

“I was one of those who said the most in public space that it has to happen. It’s not against something – that the previous government didn’t listen to the scientists or something. I think there were really things that the previous government was asking and asking. I always say a good word about Prime Minister Counselor Jonas Kairis, he always organized them covidinius meetings, invited scientists, experts and tried to listen. But what makes this presidential initiative different is that the previous commission was irregular. The president did it so that the commission had very clear goals, “said prof. M. Stankūnas.

Nor did the professor hide that mistakes had been made in handling the pandemic.

“Even last week when we spoke, we knew very well that there would be more cases. We didn’t know if it was 200 or 300, but there was a fact that it would multiply and that became clear in July. And I really had to rethink that I would need traceability of The contacts, I had to think about it. There were such mistakes. But we don’t want to criticize anything, we want to help. I also want to say that we work for public purposes and we will not receive any remuneration, “said M. Stankūnas.

According to the scientist, quarantine will be inevitable in Lithuania.

“I think the situation is difficult to handle now and what we have now is wrong. That “evil” grows every day. As a result of the quarantine, I think one or the other will need it.

Imagine a basketball game and a team losing 10 points. All your combinations, throws fail, something doesn’t happen and you need to take a minute of rest to redraw the combinations and see what goes wrong. Because, in fact, we have about this situation, maybe not yet, maybe there is still hope, but I imagine how all the Žalgiris arena is screaming for us to take a break, because something has to be done, ”compared Professor M. Stankūnas.

We need to move less

Professor K. Petrikonis said that the coronavirus morbidity situation in the country worsens and why our morbidity rate is even worse than in Sweden.

“What does not make us happier is the mobility of Lithuania. People move. Driving to Kaunas. There are so many machines moving there as they shouldn’t move. That economic and social activity is too high.

In Sweden, people move 3 times less without quarantine, of course with a similar growth situation. We all need to move less. Then we probably have some change. If we do what we did, it will be the same as now. <...> We must also look for unpopular solutions, ”said Professor Kęstutis Petrikonis.