National Coordination Body: New measures in municipalities depending on number of infections starting Monday, Ministry of Education to inform public about all aspects of beginning of school year

Podgorica, Montenegro (25 September 2020) – The National Coordination Body for Communicable Diseases decided, at today’s session chaired by President Milutin Simović and at the proposal of the Public Health Institute of Montenegro and several municipal crises staffs, to begin the application of new restrictive epidemiological measures on Monday, in dependence of the epidemiological situation in each of local self – government. 

 
According to the methodology of the Public Health Institute, which was adopted earlier today by the National Coordination Body, basis for making decisions on restrictive measures will be founded on monitoring rates of cumulative 14 - day incidence (KI). This rate and its development, which in epidemiology represents a measure of the disease risk, is obtained by dividing the number of new cases of coronavirus infection with the number of inhabitants of local self – government and it is expressed per 100.000 inhabitants. 

 
In local self – government in which the 14 – day rate is: 

1. Less than 400: strict compliance and tight control over the implementation of applicable epidemiological measures will be continued.

2. Between 400 and 799, along with the measures in force, it will be introduced as follows: 

a. The work of catering facilities is limited until 10 p.m. 

b. Working conditions of catering facilities are limited in a way that along with epidemiological measures in force, a maximum of two persons are allowed to sit at one table inside the catering facility and outside (on the terrace, garden, etc.); and 

c. Obligation of strict compliance with the distance of at least one meter among chairs when persons sit at the table and with their backs turned to each other. 

3. Between 800 and 1.199, along with measures in force, it will be introduced as follows: 

a. The work of catering facilities (restaurants, cafes, cafeterias and hotel restaurants) is prohibited, except for guests of hotels.

b. Gathering in residential premises is prohibited for persons who are not members of a shared family household.

4. Greater than 1.200, along with measures in force, it will be introduced as follows:

a. It is forbidden to leave the residential premises from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. (with defined exceptions that were also valid during the previous measure: children with autism spectrum disorders; persons using wheelchairs, accompanied by one person, for a maximum of 60 minutes a day; persons who perform regular work tasks in activities permitted by orders, employees of foreign diplomatic and consular missions, persons who provide services of public interest, and are an indispensable condition of life and work of citizens (health, inspection authorities namely police, armed forces, security services, utilities, media outlets – including persons appearing in media shows, agricultural activities on farms, etc.), as evidenced by a certificate issued by the employer; persons caring for persons who due to illness, condition or consequence of injury are not able to independently perform daily life activities, as evidenced by a certificate issued by the chosen doctor of these persons; and persons taking pets, for a maximum of 60 minutes a day;

b. The work of catering facilities (restaurants, cafes, cafeterias and hotel restaurants) is prohibited, except for guests of hotels;

c. Visiting residential premises is prohibited for persons who are not members of a shared household.

The Public Health Institute determines and publishes the rate of cumulative incidence once a week at its Internet site, on Saturday morning. The application of restrictions depending on the determined cumulative incidence rate begins on the third day since the cumulative incidence rate is determined, i.e. on Monday at 24:00.

The decision on potential easing of measures will be adopted automatically every fourteenth day depending on movement of the rate values, while the analyses on tightening measures will be performed on a weekly basis, in accordance with the development of rates.

(The 14th – day KI list is attached. Tomorrow morning, the Public Health Institute will publish final list for this week that will include today’s data.  

According to the current data, which do not include the newly infections who will be detected by the end of today, the tightest measures begin to apply in Nikšić, Berane and Andrijevica on Monday.

Beginning of the school year

Considering the epidemiological situation and conditions for the upcoming beginning of the school year, the National Coordination Body for Communicable Diseases tasked the Ministry of Education to intensify activities and to identify and address by Monday (28 September 2020), all the relevant parameters and in detail inform the public about all aspects on beginning of the school year.

The line inspection authorities, in particular the Sanitary Inspection, are tasked to carry out until the beginning of the school year the supervision over fulfilment of conditions for attending classes regularly, regarding the compliance with epidemiological measures.

With the aim of preventing the spread of coronavirus among children and pupils, the National Coordination Body decided to amend the relevant order, so that the obligation of wearing protective masks applies to children over the age of five.

Inspection authorities to closely control the compliance with measures

Inspection authorities at both state and local level, once again are called to consistently and continuously supervise the implementation of the epidemiological measures in force and to regularly inform the public about results of controls.

The National Coordination Body for Communicable Diseases suggested that the Ministry of Health makes decision on bonus payment for healthcare employees working with SARS-CoV-2 patients. 

The 17th Report on the account balance and payments from the account of the Operational Staff for Donations Management was adopted. 

Until 25 September 2020, at 09:00 a.m., the inflow is EUR 8,159,114.12 and 75,971.72 US dollars, while the outflow amounts to EUR 2,958,869.13. Accordingly, the balance in the account is EUR 5,200,244.99 and 75,971.72 US dollars. Weekly outflow overview can be downloaded here.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO

PHOTO AND VIDEO: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmQY1m83