ZAGREB, June 23, 2020 - Public Health Institute (HZJZ) director Krunoslav Capak said on Tuesday Croatia was not applying the so-called Swedish model to fight against the coronavirus pandemic and that the Swedish model did not mean that they did not have restrictions.

Speaking on N1 television, Capak said the Swedish model was aimed at keeping the economy going and allowing the virus to circulate among the non-vulnerable population. The result is that they have a high number of infections and fatalities and their economy has been affected nonetheless, he added.

"Our model is nothing like that," he said, adding that Croatia imposed a lockdown on March 19 to stop the virus from circulating, but aware that it could not last endlessly.

What is happening in Croatia now is a result of the relaxation of restrictions and failure to adhere to epidemiological recommendations, said Capak. "We can't close the borders, stop normal life activities, but we must learn to adhere to the measures and keep the level of infection low because, unfortunately, we can't eradicate the virus."

It won't be good if Djokovic is positive

Speaking of an outbreak at a tennis tournament in Zadar, where 81 persons are self-isolating and five have tested positive, Capak said the epidemiological situation would become more complicated if Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic tested positive as he was in close contact with many people who, in that case, would have to self-isolate. 

Asked if Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic would have to self-isolate given his contact with Djokovic, Capak said they greeted each other with a fist bump, which was not considered physical contact, and that their meeting indoors lasted less than three minutes.

If Djokovic is positive, Plenkovic does not have to self-isolate, but he still got tested and the result was negative, he added.

Asked if the tournament organisers had contacted the HZJZ or the national civil protection authority prior to the event, Capak said they did not directly but that the HZJZ issued instructions concerning competitions and that organisers had the duty to adhere to them.

He said the spectators in the stands did not keep the necessary distance and that this was a lesson to future organisers to mark seats and insist on social distancing.