Skopje, 10 November 2021 (MIA) – Minister of Health Venko Filipche told a press conference on Wednesday that North Macedonia could face a new COVID-19 wave. According to Filipche it’s hard to determine the real reason behind the surge in new cases. One of the reasons, he added, could be a new virus variant, but more information will be available by the end of the week or the beginning of next. Local elections, the Minister said, didn’t play a role as evident by the fact that more younger people, who didn’t participate in rallies and campaign events, are getting infected. Filipche also rejected accusations that politicians don’t listen to science when it comes to measures and protocols. “It’s absolutely false that politics doesn’t listen to science. Everything we do and implement is based on science. The Commission for Infectious Diseases is made up of expert epidemiologists. We also consult international experts. All measures that have been taken since the onset of the epidemic, were recommended by experts. Politics never impacted measures and recommendations,” Filipche stressed. He once again urged citizens to get vaccinated and warned that the unvaccinated put the most pressure on hospitals.  They, he added, are at great risk of getting infected, which is already the case. However, the Minister said, authorities are still not thinking about making vaccination mandatory. Vaccination and abiding by measures are the key for ending the pandemic, he noted. “The unvaccinated burden the health system. However, we’re still not considering making vaccination mandatory,” Filipche told reporters. According to him, no change in the current number of new COVID-19 cases would mean that the new wave has begun. “It’s hard to predict the dynamic. Hospitals are ready, but citizens should be aware that health workers are tired. Some COVID centers never shut down. Sections of some clinics have been turned into COVID centers. The point isn’t to fill hospitals, it’s for citizens to get vaccinated. Therefore, I urge citizens to get jabbed in large numbers, starting today,” Filipche underlined. He said that the virus can’t be fought with restrictions, a lesson the whole world is learning. “The way to proceed is by taking measures based on two principles: vaccination and general preventive measures – wearing masks and social distancing. That’s the only way to put an end to the pandemic. No restrictions can help us when the virus is everywhere. We can’t prevent people from traveling and taking part in gatherings. We can implement additional restrictions, but will they have any effect? Restrictions don’t produce results. None of our neighbors are thinking about restrictive measures amid this strong wave. Vaccination is important for reducing the severity of the illness and removing pressure from hospitals,” Filipche said.