Alemka Markotic has discussed the potential reintroduction of certain coronavirus measures should the epidemiological situation alter once again.
The coronavirus pandemic has shaken an unexpecting world, and Croatia has rather surprisingly handled it exceptionally well. Boasting some of the best results with some of the most stringent anti-epidemic measures in the world according to an Oxford University study, Croatia has been astounding in its response. The number of infections has remained low, the death rate even lower. These are results few could have predicted for a country so close to Italy.
Alemka Markotic of the ”Dr. Fran Mihaljevic” Clinic for Infectious Diseases in Zagreb has become a household name over the last few weeks. Having been drawn as a superhero by a young boy from Nustar, Alemka won’t quickly be forgotten after the pandemic passes.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 29th of April, 2020, Alemka Markotic has provided a response to the question on everyone’s lips as the anti-epidemic measures begin slowly being loosened up: What if there is a sudden increase in newly infected people?
Director of the Infectious Diseases Clinic “Dr. Fran Mihaljevic ”commented on the possible return of measures and restrictions due to the coronavirus epidemic.
“We’re on the second day of loosening the measures, it can be seen that there are more people out there and there are more crowds, but it seems to me that the majority of people are still adhering to the measures that have been recommended,” the director of the ”Dr. Fran Mihaljevic” Clinic for Infectious Diseases told RTL Direct.
What if there is a sudden increase in the coronavirus infection rate?
“We’ve been communicating clearly from the beginning. It was emphasised that the measures would be gradually eased, that we’re ask people to please continue to respect social distancing, hygiene measures… If we pay attention to this, I think we’ll be able to continue the gradual loosening of measures. If the number of infected people increases, then we’ll have to identify where the measures didn’t produce a good result and those parts of the measures will probably need to be reintroduced,” said Alemka Markotic.
Many countries have made it mandatory to wear masks when outside near others, but Croatia isn’t among them.
“I think the CIHI and epidemiologists have clearly communicated that it’s advisable to wear masks in public, when in closed quarters. I think that is absolutely clear to our people here and that they will respect these measures,” Alemka Markotic concluded.
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