STA, January 3, 2021 – Due to the increased spread of the Omicron coronavirus version, all Covid measures are on the table and will be discussed this week, Health Minister Janez Poklukar told reporters on Monday, adding that the best solutions are for the health system and society. in general we would look for.

If the measures are not socially acceptable, they do not serve their purpose, Poklukar said.

He pointed out that due to the rapid expansion of Omicron, the number of quarantine orders is expected to increase in the coming days, which could hinder work processes not only in healthcare, but also in other areas.

As the data show that the average incubation period for Omicron is 2.5 days, the Minister of Epidemiology asked whether quarantine could be reduced from ten to five days if a person’s test is negative for coronavirus.

The National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) told STA that epidemiologists discussed the matter last Friday and agreed that shortening quarantine would not make sense at the moment, as Delta is still the predominant option.

But talks on this are likely to continue this week, the NIJZ said.

Poklukar also expects that quarantine rules are likely to change in the coming days and weeks due to Omicron.

Regarding quarantine for children who cannot yet receive booster vaccines and therefore cannot avoid quarantine, Poklukar said that he had talked informally with the NIJZ about this, but for now the rules remain the same.

Although various data on the new version come from other countries, including that Omicron causes fewer hospitalizations than Delta, Poklukar points out that hospital capacities in many countries are not so busy due to higher vaccination coverage, while in Slovenia there were 173 covid patients in intensive care. . this morning two-thirds of the peak of the fourth wave.

Although vaccines against Covid offer slightly lower protection against Omicron, the minister stressed that vaccination still makes sense.

Recent research suggests that cellular immunity remains even after vaccination with viral vector vaccines, so the increase in hospitalizations may not be as large as it initially seemed, he said.

Asked whether compulsory vaccination could be introduced and the rule cured – tested – vaccinated could be changed, Poklukar said he was waiting for expert advice.

“Once we receive the instructions, we will discuss their implementation with other segments of society,” he said.

The College of Epidemiologists at the NIJZ unanimously decided last week that it could not support the introduction of compulsory vaccination for the time being, citing the absence of a legal basis and questions about implementation.

According to the Infectious Diseases Act, the Minister of Health could, on the proposal of the NIJZ, include vaccination against covid in the list of mandatory vaccines.

The NIJZ emphasizes the importance of testing and the availability of free self-testing kits for the entire population.