State Official: Pressure Moves from Covid Hospitals to Outpatient Clinics  

Mirsad Djerlek (BETAPHOTO/SERBIAN GOVERNMENT/SLOBODAN MILJEVIC)

A state secretary at the Health Ministry, Mirsad Djerlek, on Jan. 11 said the pressure on the healthcare system was great and that it had transferred from Covid hospitals to outpatient clinics which had been “waging a serious and difficult fight against the coronavirus.” 

“We have been trying to maintain good organization and meet the needs of all patients and provide them with healthcare they expect,” Djerlek told state public broadcaster RTS. According to him, on Jan. 10, there were 8,000 examinations in Belgrade alone.  

Djerlek also said that the unvaccinated had more severe symptoms, particularly older patients. He also said that an increase in the number of new Covid cases had not boosted the number of vaccinated, noting that many had behaved relaxed during the holidays and that a possible fourth vaccine dose should be considered because of a very vulnerable group, which was not small in numbers.

Djerlek also said he was worried with post-Covid syndrome which was often forgotten. “Young people have mild symptoms and recover from Covid-19, but after a few months some of them return to hospitals with heart attacks or strokes…Not all is solved after acute phase of Covid-19 is over. Post-Covid syndrome is very serious and concerning,” Djerlek stressed.