Director of the Institute for Public Health of Montenegro, Igor Galić, announced today that immunization leads to additional liberalization of epidemiological measures.
"For now, there is no thought of locking Montenegro. Current measures will remain in effect for the next two weeks," Galić pointed out at a press conference held by the Ministry of Health, the Clinical Center of Montenegro (KCCG) and the Institute for Public Health of Montenegro, where the current epidemiological situation in the country, caused by the coronavirus pandemic, was presented.
"In the last two weeks, the number of infected people decreased by about 25 percent, and a drop in hospitalizations by about eight percent was also recorded. When looking at the situation from August 1 to October 18, the data of IJZCG show the following: From August 1 to 18 in October 2021, 36.515 people were infected in Montenegro. 98,9 percent recovered. Unfortunately, 1,1 percent of those infected died. Eight out of 10 deceased patients were unvaccinated. All deceased under the age of 40 were also unvaccinated. "Regardless of the fact that the immediate causes of death were very different, their common denominator is that they were all unvaccinated. Most of the deceased were between the ages of 70 and 79," Galić pointed out.
He added that the current topic these days is Sputnik V.
"As they announced, a request for the import of additional quantities of the Sputnik V vaccine, 40 thousand doses, was submitted to the Institute for Medicines and Medical Devices, which is currently undergoing an expert assessment. The Institute evaluates each request in accordance with the prescribed procedures European and international standards have been implemented that guarantee the quality, safety and efficacy of the drug. In accordance with the law, each individual import of immunological drugs is approved, i.e. quality control is carried out before they are placed on the market, i.e. used. According to information from CInMED, the decision regarding the use of Sputnik V will be known within the next seven days, and that will be the final decision regarding the use of this vaccine, which some citizens are persistently waiting for, and we have provided it," said Galić.
He said that they use vaccines recommended by the European Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices and the World Health Organization.
"But this does not mean that other vaccines should not be used which, in the case of Montenegro, have been previously tested and for which CInMED guarantees quality, safety and efficiency. On the other hand, Sputnik V is used in 70 countries of the world - from regions, Serbia, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to some EU member states such as Hungary. Citizens' health is a priority, and vaccination, data from our country also shows, protects the largest percentage from the most serious forms of disease," said Galić.
Radulović: 80 percent of patients are unvaccinated citizens
KCCG Director Ljiljana Radulović said that there are 19 patients in Montenegro undergoing hospital treatment due to COVID 354 infection or its consequences.
"That is about eight percent less compared to two weeks earlier. The largest number of patients are housed in the Clinical Center of Montenegro. 126 patients are being treated here. Eighty percent of patients are unvaccinated citizens. The data from our hospital support all world scientific studies that indicate that immunization, in the largest percentage, protects against the development of the most severe clinical manifestations. related to heart attacks and strokes," said Radulović.
According to her, patients, in addition to respiratory effects, have cardiovascular damage, so it is to be expected that in the future we will have more and more patients in clinics that deal with these diseases, namely the Clinic for Heart Diseases and the Clinic for Neurology.
"Covid 19 is dangerous in itself, but its repercussions can be much more serious. That's why vaccination against the corona virus is important: it supports your existing immune system to fight and, most often, in the final fight against this disease and all subsequent consequence. When your body gets tired, the immunity created by the vaccine is the best ally of the doctors who are fighting for your health and your life," said the director of KCCG.
She said that the situation in other hospitals is as follows: OB Bar 43, OB Pljevlja 36, OB Bijelo Polje 23, OB Berane 32, OB Kotor 29, OB Nikšić 24, SB Brezovik 41.
"This means that 66 percent of the total currently allocated accommodation capacity for COVID patients is occupied," said Radulović.
Ćorić: The Ministry of Health does not want vaccination against the coronavirus to be the result of pressure, but a personal decision
Slađana Ćorić, general director of the Directorate for Health Protection in the Ministry of Health, said that Montenegro provided 920 thousand doses of vaccines and added that it is better for citizens to go to the vaccination center than to the hospital.
"The Ministry of Health does not want vaccination against the coronavirus to be the result of pressure, but rather a personal decision arising from an awareness of the preservation of personal and public health. I will tell you, as a long-term doctor who until recently worked with the most severe COVID patients, that citizens who are undergoing hospital treatment they regret the most that they were not immunized in time. While they fight for air, which is now a luxury for them and until yesterday they took every breath for granted, they hope to get out of the hospital alive, they promise themselves that they will get vaccinated as soon as possible. In the coming period, given that we have noted a decline in interest in immunization, the Ministry of Health, in cooperation with other state bodies, primarily with the Health Center, will try to speed up this process through field work," Ćorić pointed out.
She added that in the light of discussions about immunization and the third dose of vaccine that was recently recommended to the general population as well as vulnerable groups, we should be aware that this can only be done if the state has provided a sufficient number of vaccines.
"From the spring of 2021 until today, the Ministry of Health managed to provide 920 thousand doses of vaccines, and at least another 100 thousand doses will arrive soon," said Ćorić.
According to her, at the moment, Montenegro has over 375 thousand doses of vaccines.
"Of that: Sinofarm - about 250 thousand, Pfizer - over 80 thousand, Sputnik V - 40 thousand which are in the process of testing, Astra Zeneka - about five thousand. And, I remind you that, as a donation from Turkey, it will soon arrive in Montenegro 100 thousand Sinovak vaccines. This is an excellent result in the process of procuring vaccines and the Ministry of Health is satisfied that the citizens of Montenegro have long been able to literally choose which vaccine to immunize against the corona virus, even though we treat them all equally. This is an opportunity to invite those citizens as well who have naturally acquired immunity so as not to postpone the vaccination that will further strengthen their immunity. The third dose is their spare equipment to fight against the corona virus because you never know how and for what reason your body can cancel the fight. Then, instead of you, the vaccine could to achieve the expected result - overcoming the disease and or leaving the hospital," Ćorić said.
She said that it is no coincidence that, unfortunately, all those under the age of 40 who lost the fight against the coronavirus were unvaccinated.
"Once again, as a doctor, I ask all citizens not to hesitate and, while they are on time, to go to the nearest vaccination point so that their next stop is not KCCG or some other hospital in Montenegro. With immunization, in most cases, even and if you get sick, you know that you have a stronger immune system compared to unvaccinated people," said Ćorić.
Galić called on the citizens of Pljevlja to get vaccinated and adhere to the measures
Galić said that the current epidemiological situation in Pljevlje is unfavorable due to non-compliance with basic epidemiological measures, as well as poor vaccination coverage.
He added that in Pljevlja, 35,8 percent of the population was vaccinated with both doses.
"Combined with non-compliance with epidemiological measures, with some reports from the field about gatherings such as weddings, funerals, it happened that the transmission was very high," said Galić.
Galić said that Pljevlja is at the top of the incidence in Montenegro and that the incidence is very high.
"When there is an increased number of sick people in one city, after two to four weeks there is an increased number of deaths, and this epidemic is very difficult to suppress," said Galić.
He explained that the delta strain is highly transmissible and that when it enters a family, generally all members who have not been vaccinated become ill.
Galić called on the citizens of Pljevlja to get vaccinated and adhere to the measures.
When asked why there are still unvaccinated medical staff at IJZCG, Galić said that more than 80 percent have been vaccinated at the institute.
He said that of the medical staff, 200 people were vaccinated, 236 of them.
Galić stated that there was a certain number who did not want to be vaccinated and that they were mostly younger people.
"There is a certain number of people who fall within six months of becoming ill, so they are not yet in favor of vaccination, such are the recommendations," said Galić.
He added that there was a certain number who did not want to be vaccinated and they were mostly younger people.
Asked to comment on why the number of hospitalized compared to the number of active cases doubled compared to the beginning of August, Galić said that the epidemic was in a phase of rapid growth at the beginning of August.
He said that since September 13, there has been a decrease in the number of new cases on a weekly basis.
Galić said that the lowest number of new cases was recorded this Sunday and that Montenegro is not in a phase of rapid disease.
"There is also a lower number of hospitalized patients in the last two weeks, compared to the previous two, eight percent less," Galić added.
Galić said that the reason for the higher number of deaths is that citizens were not vaccinated in sufficient numbers.
He said that from September 20 to October 3, 85 people died, and from October 4 to 18, 89 people died.
Galić pointed out that the vaccine does not achieve absolute protection against the disease, but a reduction in severe cases and deaths is achieved.
Asked about NITAG's recommendations on the vaccination of pregnant women, Galić said that those recommendations were publicly available and that they meant that pregnant women could be vaccinated, after the first trimester of pregnancy, if the employer wanted it or agreed with their gynecologist, as well as if someone in the family belongs to the risk group.
Ćorić: We must first immunize a sufficient number of people, in order to give them a booster dose
When asked about the Sputnik Light vaccine, Ćorić said that it is a booster dose and that it is not adequate protection against the virus. "We must first immunize a sufficient number of people, in order to give them a booster dose," said Ćorić.
When asked whether at the level of the Ministry of Health and the management of KCCG they control the treatment in the covid wards, Ćorić said that a Commission has been formed that visits all, especially covid hospitals. She said that the hospitals in Bar, Kotor, Pljevlja and Nikšić were inspected, and next Sunday they will inspect in Bijelo Polje.
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