ZAGREB, 28 December, 2021 - A small number of Omicron cases have been confirmed in Croatia, so the existing COVID-19 protocols will remain in force in January, while on 31 December hospitality establishments will be allowed to stay open until 2 am, it was said on Tuesday.
Speaking to the press after a meeting of the government's Scientific Council, Croatian Institute of Public Health director Krunoslav Capak said there were eight sequenced Omicron cases in Croatia, eight cases "for which we are 99.9% sure it's Omicron" and "three or four suspect" cases.
He said a rise in Omicron cases was expected in the second week of January and the peak at the end of January and the beginning of February.
Due to the small number of Omicron cases, the COVID restrictions will not be tightened.
The head of the national COVID-19 crisis management team, Interior Minister Davor Božinović, said the rules on borders, shops' opening hours, transport and assembly would "likely be extended tomorrow."
He said the scientists on the council said the Omicron variant was different from previous ones due to a higher infection rate, but that there was no firm evidence on the seriousness of the illness.
He said it was necessary to keep in mind the burden on hospitals. If we will have four times as many cases, despite a 50% milder illness, it could still mean twice as many hospitalisations, he added.
Božinović said the new COVID vaccines and drugs being tested were expected to make next year easier in terms of serious illness and deaths.
He said the participants in the meeting underlined the need for the booster shot, calling on citizens to take it, notably medical workers, care home residents and all seniors. Thanks to higher vaccination rates, he added, EU countries with many Omicron cases have fewer hospitalisations and deaths.
Capak said the testing capacity was increasing and that 20,000 PCR tests could be done in one day.
According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, he said, persons infected with Omicron carry the virus only two days before and two to three days after the onset of symptoms. Hence, he added, those who are no longer contagious will have to self-isolate for a shorter time.
