September 25, 2020 - The National Coordination Body for Infectious Diseases (NKT) has decided to follow the Institute of Public Health of Montenegro (IPH) and several municipal crisis headquarters' suggestions to start implementing new restrictive epidemiological measures depending on the epidemiological situation in each local area.
"According to the IPH methodology, the decisions on restrictive measures will be based on monitoring a fourteen-day cumulative incidence (CI). This rate and its movement, which in epidemiology is a measure of disease risk, is divided by the number of new COVID-19 cases per municipality and is expressed per 100,000 inhabitants," announced the NKT.
In local areas where the 14-day rate is less than 400, strict compliance and strict control of the implementation of valid epidemiological measures continue.
In local areas where the 14-day rate is between 400 and 799, in addition to the valid measures, NKT is to restrict the operation of catering facilities after 10 pm.
Limitations on the working conditions of catering facilities:
- Maximum of two people to be at one table both inside and outside the facility (terraces, gardens, etc.);
- A distance of at least one meter to be maintained from chair to chair when persons are sitting at tables facing away from each other.
In local areas where the 14-day rate is between 800 and 1,199, alongside measures already in place:
The operation of catering facilities (restaurants, cafes, cafeterias, hotel restaurants) is prohibited, except for those provided for hotel guests;
Persons who are not members of a joint family household are forbidden from gathering in residential buildings.
In local areas where the 14-day rate is higher than 1,200, alongside measures already in place:
it is forbidden to leave the residential building from 22:00 to 05:00 with defined exceptions that were valid during the previous period: children with autism spectrum disorders; persons using wheelchairs accompanied by one person, for a maximum of 60 minutes a day, persons performing regular work tasks in activities permitted by orders, employees of foreign diplomatic and consular missions, persons providing services of public interest that are deemed indispensable (health, inspection bodies, police, army, security services, fire services, utilities, media - including guests on media shows, agricultural activities on farms, etc.), as evidenced by a certificate issued by the employer; those working for persons who due to illness, condition or consequence of injury are not able to independently perform daily activities - this should be proven by a certificate issued by the chosen doctor of such persons; and persons exercising pets, for a maximum of 60 minutes a day;
The operation of catering facilities (restaurants, cafes, cafeterias, hotel restaurants) is prohibited, except for those provided for hotel guests;
Visits to the homes of persons who are not members of the same household are prohibited.
NKT explained that the CI rate is determined by the IPH and is published on its website once a week, on Saturday mornings.
"The application of restrictions depending on the determined CI rate starts on the third day from the announcement of the specified rate, ie, on Mondays at 00:00. The decision on possible mitigation of measures is made automatically every 14 days, depending on the movement of grades. At the same time, analysis on tightening any restrictions is performed weekly in line with rate changes," the statement said.
According to current data, which does not include new cases that will be detected by the end of today, the strictest measures will be implemented following the situation in Niksic, Berane, and Andrijevica, starting on Monday.
The beginning of the school year
The NKT stated that considering the epidemiological situation and conditions for the upcoming return to school, they have instructed the Ministry of Education to intensify activities and to review and determine all relevant parameters and inform the public in detail about all aspects of the beginning of the school year by next Monday (September 28, 2020).
"Competent inspection bodies, primarily the Sanitary and Health Inspectorate, are in charge of monitoring the fulfillment of conditions for regular teaching in the context of compliance with epidemiological measures by the beginning of the school year. To prevent the spread of coronavirus among children and students, the NKT has decided to change the appropriate order that the obligation to wear protective masks applies to children over five years old," stated the NKT.
Inspection bodies to closely monitor compliance with the measures
The NKT said that inspection bodies, both at the state and local level, were once again called upon to consistently and continuously monitor the implementation of valid epidemiological measures and regularly report to the public on these results.
