“NOBODY CAN AGREE WITH SUCH ATTITUDE” Janković referred to Dr. Nestorović’s statement that we should all be infected and revealed WHEN WE DECLARE THE END OF THE EPIDEMIC

The epidemic is still ongoing and weakened, while the virus cannot be claimed to have weakened yet, says the immunologist. Srdja Jankovic para rosa also emphasizes that the epidemic is not yet over and will not last as long as the virus is transmitted in the community.

– Avoiding contact and protection remain the key to preventing infection and therefore ending the epidemic, says the immunologist. He emphasizes that the abolition of the state of emergency does not mean the end, but only the end of a phase, and that preventive measures must remain embedded in our consciousness.

He says that there are hot spots in the world that are still in full swing (Russia, Great Britain), that there may be more and that we cannot expect the end of the pandemic anytime soon. The World Health Organization cautions that this is not the “beginning of the end”, but the “end of the beginning” of the pandemic. In Serbia, as he points out, we will end the epidemic exclusively by adhering to the recommended measures.

The end of an epidemic of any disease is declared when we have no infected people for 28 consecutive days. The duration was determined on the basis of a double maximum incubation period of 28 days, and this is the official criterion for canceling the registration of the epidemic. On the other hand, the pandemic will not rise as long as the virus is circulating anywhere in the world. We can cancel the epidemic locally, but we must treat it with caution, we must monitor and carry out epidemiological surveillance across the country, says Janković.

He believes that we are separated from the abolition of the epidemic, if everything goes as it should, for weeks – says Janković.

It reminds us that we have moved from restrictive measures to incorporation into our daily lives.

– We managed to avoid the exponential growth of the epidemic, but it did not prevent people from getting sick, and the most exposed are undoubtedly medical workers, so we had many patients among them. We did not dare allow the coronavirus to enter our gerontological centers, however, we could have gone even worse, says Janković for “Novo jutro”.

When it comes to kindergartens, remember that children will be tightened even more tightly and that educators will implement preventive measures.

– The groups will be small and only healthy children will be able to stay in the kindergarten, which is a practice. Educators will install preventive measures in accordance with the activities carried out in these institutions. I think we will minimize the risk, and the risk is certainly less than if the grandparents take care of the children, says Janković.

Speaking about the coronavirus vaccine and when it will appear on the market, Janković says he must pass clinical trials, demonstrating its efficacy and safety. This is a very long process that is impossible to accelerate without respecting all applicable ethical norms and standards.

– Even if we have the opportunity to accelerate this process, it can never be accelerated across the border so that research and medical ethics are respected without reservation. That is why we cannot get the vaccine that fast, says Dr. Janković, adding that it is unrealistic that the vaccine will arrive before next year.

– Vaccines can be done in a few months, but it cannot be claimed that it is completely effective and safe, says the immunologist.

When it comes to the statement of prof. Dr. Branimir Nestorović says that everything should be allowed to become infected with the coronavirus, Janković says that collective immunity is important, but that our goal should not be to build it as quickly as possible.

I did not have the opportunity to argue with my dear teacher, prof. With Nestorović, whom I respect infinitely as one of our best doctors, I only saw the statement in the way it was conveyed. I couldn’t ask him what he thought, but no one can agree with what was reported in the media. Accelerating collective immunity would mean putting people’s lives at risk. We will discuss this and look for the optimal form of prevention, but if you ask me if we should all go out and get infected for collective immunity, I think that concept is problematic and would be a wrong step, says Janković.