We know very little about COVID-19, the infection and the disease are seriously unpredictable – that’s for sure. However, experience so far has shown that 80% of patients develop very mild symptoms or do not notice them at all. Citizens’ fear should be present, but we must not allow it turn into panic, the director of the Infectious Disease Clinic, Dr. Milena Stevanovic, said on the “Top tema” show on Wednesday.

According to her, there are still unanswered questions about whether cured patients can contract the coronavirus again, which medications are best, why everyone are treated differently. The recommendation is that those who are discharged from the hospital after two consecutive negative tests remain in isolation for another 14 days.

Stevanovic assures that no patient in the country is left without maximum care. “Every effort is made to save everybody’s life. What the statistics will be, it is not known. The pandemic has to end first and the priority now is the treatment”, she said.

Unfortunately, the number of patients developing severe symptoms is increasing. Five are on ventilators, and most of them have severe pneumonia and placed on oxygen support. However, there are also patients who are recovering. But this is not the true picture of COVID-19 because only the most severe cases are treated at the Infectious Disease Clinic, the director said.

She added that there are infected children, but they have not developed any symptoms and therefore do not need to be hospitalized.

Moreover, Stevanovic said the treatment varies depending on the patient’s overall health.

There are medications available from those recommended against COVID (HIV, malaria), but which one and in what combination will be given will largely depend on the patient, she said.