Tiodorovic warns that a new “corona-bomb” awaits us: “It is too late”, we will see the result in two weeks

Branislav Tiodorović, Photo: Tanjug

Since people are very interested in staying in the mountain centers, we can expect that there will be many people in an area at the same time, which represents an epidemiological risk, as was the case on “Black Friday”. When you see images of mountain centers where hundreds of people are gathered in one place, you can expect a large number of sick people to be among them in five to ten days. There is no way out of the vicious circle …

Kopaonik, Photo: private archive

With these words, epidemiologist Dr. Branislav Tiodorović, a member of the Crisis Team for the Suppression of Kovid 19, describes for “Politika” his reaction to the images of people waiting in line for the opening of the ski season at the resort Kopaonik ski resort, which appeared in all the media.

Professor Tiodorović says he was surprised to see that travel agencies announced that all arrangements for mountain resorts in Serbia for New Year’s Eve were sold out. This refers to Kopaonik, Zlatibor and Stara Planina …

– We are in a situation where going there and staying with a large number of people in the same space represents a great risk, to put it mildly, to transmit the crown. Skiing is not a problem like skiing, because the skiers on the piste are not next to each other. But, the problem is the breaks before and after skiing, where these people sit together in cafes, chat, drink tea, stay in the same rooms with large numbers of people … I did not see that those who bought a ski pass kept to distance. It was a great crowd. People have received discounts and are looking to take advantage of them. I saw that someone gave a statement that they respect the measures because there are no guest singers and concerts of that type, as well as entertainment programs. What are these people talking about? They did not bring singers, but everything else is organized, says our interlocutor.

Snow skiing in Kopaonik, Photo: Tanjug / Dušan Aničić

Stresses that the good measures taken by Austria and Germany with regard to ski resorts are. For us, in his opinion, it is already too late.

– The arrangements are out of stock. Who would give people money back and refuse to let them not come? There is none of that. I am afraid that even the opening of new hospitals will not finish our work when it continues with a large number of patients. Well now there are at least 420 Belgraders in Nis hospitals. As if they came as tourists, and sadly they didn’t. They are terrible data. It is terrible that we have more and more elderly people on their respirators who did not go to the ski resorts or spas and got sick. They were probably told by younger people that they did not adhere to the measures because they were going to parties, says Dr. Tiodorović.

Asked if the new epidemiological measures adopted by the Serbian Government the day before yesterday will help us curb the epidemic, he said that they can have a significant impact to calm the epidemiological situation, but if there is no rigorous control and even punishment, we cannot. Let’s hope the situation calms down in the new year. Only in 10 to 12 days can it be seen if the measures have affected the reduction of contacts between people. The only thing left, he says, is to wait for that to happen.

– There are opinions that a large number of people will not go on winter holidays and that it will be three to five percent of citizens. So calculate how many people are really in such a difficult situation. Imagine what will happen after winter when five percent of Belgraders go to the mountains… Well, I would also like to go to rest in Zlatibor, for example, but I am aware of the risk it represents. Now is not the time to think about it – concluded Dr. Tiodorović.