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The vacation period that awaits us also represents a greater risk of spreading the infection, due to the social gatherings, as well as the arrival of our people from the diaspora. Unlike foreigners, who cannot enter Serbia without a negative PCR test from December 20, our citizens can do so upon arrival in Serbia, but on the condition that they spend 10 days in home isolation or quarantine, as they still call it.
What exactly does that mean and what rules must our diaspora peoples who plan to come to Serbia on Sunday follow?
The measure of home quarantine is, among other things, one of the key provisions of the recently passed amendments to the Act on the protection of the population against infectious diseases, or the so-called “crown law”.
It explains that home quarantine is a measure that restricts people’s freedom of movement and requires monitoring of the health status of healthy people who were or are suspected of having been in contact with people infected with a contagious disease.
In addition, the Law clearly prescribes that the same quarantine measure can be applied to passengers in international traffic who enter our country from countries with an unfavorable epidemiological situation.
To avoid confusion, the term “home quarantine” is the same as “home isolation”, a term that is used more frequently in everyday life.
And that is exactly what awaits our citizens of the diaspora who decide to spend their holidays in Serbia. That is, as the crisis staff decided on Monday, from December 20 this year to probably January 10 next year, all foreign nationals entering Serbia must have a negative PCR test, no more than 48 hours. Our citizens can enter without a negative test, but they will be isolated for ten days.
– As for our citizens who come from abroad, the Constitution guarantees that they can come. If they don’t have a PCR test, they will have to be in home isolation for 10 days, which they can stop if they do a PCR test and if it turns out to be negative, said Dr. Darija Kisić-Tepavčević after the crisis staff session and He added that such measures were unavoidable.
What does that mean in practice?
Sanitary inspectors at the border check passengers for evidence of a negative PCR test result. In the event that the passenger does not have a PCR finding, and if he is our citizen, the health inspector gives him a decision on mandatory home isolation for ten days.
As is known, this means that a citizen who has been assigned home isolation cannot leave his home, that is, from the address where he was registered. Likewise, the control of compliance with this measure is carried out by health inspectors who can issue a fault order in case the citizen does not adhere to home isolation.
And ours is recommended to do a test.
The epidemiologist Dr. Predrag Kon clearly said how the borders will be controlled during the holidays, but also what he advises our citizens who plan to come to Serbia:
– At the borders, I don’t see it as a big problem. Either they have proof or they don’t. In order for a foreigner to enter, they must have a negative PCR test. Our people are also advised to isolate themselves if they don’t. They can end this quarantine by doing a test in a period of three days. If they come with a test, they have no obligations, Dr. Kon told RTS.
Therefore, it is recommended that our citizens coming to Serbia take the test, and they can do it within three days of arrival.
January 1 PCR, 9,000 dinars
By the way, the Government yesterday made the decision that the price of tests on personal request for foreign citizens is 18,000 dinars, while for our citizens the price remains unchanged until the end of the year and amounts to 6,000 dinars. But as of January 1, 2021, the price of tests on personal request for national citizens will amount to 9,000 dinars, that is, 3,000 more.
The appeal is for those who wish to take the test on personal request to schedule the test exclusively electronically.
Citizens, foreign citizens with an approved residence in our country, as well as foreign citizens without an approved residence (tourists), can easily and quickly schedule an appointment in one of the 26 laboratories in 23 cities and municipalities of Serbia in the e-government address.
To use the eSchedule service for on-demand PCR tests, citizens do not need to register on the eGovernment portal. You will receive a confirmation that you have successfully scheduled an appointment by the email you provided, as well as an SMS message.
Fines of up to 150,000 dinars
Of course, as for any non-compliance with the measures and rules, in this case, a penalty is prescribed. As the law states, if a person refuses or violates the isolation measure of the house, the “crown law” provides for a fine of 50,000 to 150,000 dinars.
It goes without saying that, in addition to responding to the law, there is a moral obligation to abide by regulations to protect ourselves and our loved ones from the imminent danger of COVID infection.
We know that our citizens who live and work abroad want to talk and socialize with family and friends in Serbia. This is also possible during the epidemic, but if you plan to spend the holidays safely in your country, make sure by PCR that you are not infected or follow the ten-day isolation so that no one is in danger.
After all, doctors and crisis staff members have been pointing out for weeks that we do not need special measures for the New Year and the celebration of Saint Nicholas, but we must adhere to the existing ones.
– I ask everyone to celebrate great parties this year in the closest circle of our family and to adhere to all preventive measures as far as possible – noted Dr. Kisić-Tepavčević.
On the other hand, it must be taken into account that a rigorous return procedure is in force to many countries, especially those in which a large number of our citizens live and work, such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy …
Many wonder if it makes sense to travel to Serbia if they will spend ten days in isolation and then another ten days of quarantine in the country they return to, or a fresh new PCR find in countries where it can replace quarantine.
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