If new measures have effect, quarantine returns to northern Macedonia

Kumanovo, Strumica and Veles remained at home in hospitals and 18 patients with COVID-19 were sent to hospitals in Skopje.

Health Minister Venko Filipce says that in recent days more patients are admitted to hospitals than are released.

The Infectious Disease Clinic in Skopje has another 10 seats, while opportunities are high to activate improvised hospital.

“The module hospital near the Infectious Disease Clinic is ready and may be operational. We also have frameworks ready to manage physically the work of patients who will be placed there. The equipment is already set up, and they can be put to work immediately. ” said Filipce.

In addition to meeting capacity, the problem is to evacuate doctors and nurses from infectious diseases departments to state clinics in private hospitals. A doctor from the Infectious Disease Clinic resigned, while eventually the three nurses who did not even obey the meeting with the minister quit. The evacuation notice is also from the chief of the infection department at Hospital “8. September”

These doctors are enough, but we're willing to interfere with the rotation system if any department needs support. I talked to them. Some of them are tired, others have other reasons, really hard to say exactly. ” emphasised Filipce.

Filipce believes that measures such as wearing masks in open environments, limiting guests to avoid gatherings will produce results. Measures must be passed at the government session late Tuesday. If the number of infected does not decrease, additional restrictions such as reducing the number of travelers in public transportation and limiting hotel facilities are predicted. The goal is to avoid quarantine.

I sincerely believe that this proposed package of measures, restrictions, increased inspectors' competencies, but also the constant call of citizens to adhere to these measures that are virtually a key link to this chain will yield results. The next step is complete quarantine, complete closure. We're still away now, but we're gradually running out of options”.

Filipce also asks for help from citizens says that each of us is both inspectors and policemen, and that without individual awareness, the system will not be able to weather the COVID-19 wave in the fall. /Alsat