2021-02-15
In parallel with stabilising epidemic stance and further easing of COVID Restrictions launched in Georgia today, Inter-Agency Coordination Council recommends citizens and businesses to comply with regulations subject to tight monitoring. Banned and permitted activities will be controlled and if community transfer rate remains under 4%, gradual easing will be continued. The Inter-Agency Coordination Council led by Giorgi Gakharia, Prime Minister of Georgia met for regular discussions today.
As decided by the Council, schooling will be continued in a classroom environment in Tbilisi, Rustavi and Kutaisi from today - February 15, 2021. However, parents will still be able to choose between the two modes and opt for distance learning. Uniform wearing of face masks at schools is mandatory for pupils in grades 5 through 12. At the same time, eateries will be able to admit and serve their customers in open spaces from today (except for week-ends). According to Natia Turnava, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, active work is progressing on updating protocols and regulations with the engagement of restaurant business owners, Ministry of Health and Labour Inspection to assist the cafes and restaurants in getting prepared for the following stages of indoor customer service. It was also noted that representatives of the sector who had no space to arrange outdoor dining will be offered pedestrian lanes for temporary use by the Municipality of Tbilisi as a sign of greater business support.
It was stressed at the meeting that it is important for every step made towards easing of COVID restrictions to be cautious, prudent and sustainable to avoid their negative impact on the epidemic situation and to avoid re-introduction of removed restrictions. Focus was again made on the uniform wearing of face masks and social distancing. At the same time and as commonly known, sanctions are tightening on the violations of facemask wearing and penalties are increasing for repeated breaches. In addition, as also known, organizations and businesses found in intentional breach of the law by engaging in prohibited economic activities while restricted, will not be eligible for offered concessions, subsidies and various state programs.
Stabilising trend of epidemic situation in the country was raised for discussion by the Head of National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC). According to Amiran Gamkrelidze, the number of cases domestically and globally is declining gradually, which is accompanied by the reducing number of patients at hospitals. He also noted that community transfer rate is 1.79% as of February 15, 2021, while it ranges between 1-3% in large cities of the country for 7 days and 1-4% for 14 days.
Head of NCDC thereby noted that the incidence rate for 7 days has dropped to 13 and for 14 days - to 14.5, while in November-December this indicator was within 115-120, thus evidencing the vivid stability of the epidemic situation in the country. According to Amiran Gamkrelidze, irrespective of the fact that all the indicators are characterised with a positive trend, numbers still require attention in Georgia and easing of COVID restrictions does not mean that caution is no longer required. Particularly important is to stay away from large gatherings, which lead to increased risk factors. It was also noted at the meeting of the Council, that intensive testing will be maintained to make sure that new cases of viral infection get efficiently detected.
It was mentioned at the meeting that about 50 000 schoolteachers have been tested recently and the community transfer rate among them is only 0.2%. The Head of Government of Georgia once again stressed the importance of adherence to safety norms and recommendations during schooling to make sure that the health of pupils and teachers get protected at a maximum extent. On the grounds of a protocol developed together with the Ministry of Health, mandatory tests will be administered among schoolteachers and administrative staff once every 2 weeks towards this end.
Preparation works for the vaccination have been discussed at the meeting also. As commonly known, healthcare facilities have been selected and staff is being tested. Georgia is expected to receive the first dozes of Pfizer vaccine by the end of February. In line with the National Plan of Vaccination, medical staff will be the first category to get immunised in the first instance and vaccination will only be administered at the hospital sector. At the same time, intensive work is progressing for getting the following doses of COVID vaccine as early as possible. Key precondition for this is a recognition by the World Health Organization (WHO) and international community. In line with the National Plan of Vaccination, the benchmark for 2021 is to immunise 60% of the population and it is a voluntary process.
It was thereby noted that maximum use of facemasks, intensive testing and vaccination are part of these most important measures to facilitate an economic reopening, quick recovery and return to a normal way of life as early as possible.
Tight control on the adherence to COVID regulations and monitoring of banned and permitted activities continues in parallel with easing throughout Georgia. Same applies to mandatory testing. According to Beka Peradze, Head of Labor Inspection Department of the Ministry of Health, 47 shopping malls, 26 retail and wholesale traders, 2267 schools and 53 markets are registered at labour.moh.gov.ge. It has been identified that for 2 weeks 46 our 47 shopping malls comply with regulations on testing, while 5 out of 26 wholesale and retail traders fail to comply. Process is rather successful in terms of schools, while markets and fairs depict the following situation: 52 out of 53 are currently permitted to operate.
At the same time, Beka Peradze noted that active monitoring has been carried out over the past weekend by the Labour Inspection and Ministry of Interior, detecting 7 violations in total, out of which 4 were engaged in social activities and are currently prohibited. Sanctions were used towards physical and legal entities, while one facility was referred to the Ministry of Interior for a repeated breach and sealed as a result.
Since November 28, 2020 activities carried out by the Labour Inspection and various other regulation agencies totalled 54 322, out of which 31 587 were for public awareness purposes and ended with recommendations, 6 163 facilities were restricted to operate at the first phase of COVID restrictions, while almost 1000 venues were inspected for compliance. 63 were penalised and 15 678 were repeatedly inspected to be found compliant with requirements of the applicable protocols.
Since the first detection, 265 722 lab-proven cases of COVID-19 have been witnessed in the country, out of which 258 732 individuals have recovered and 3 363 died.
At present 238 individuals are placed in quarantine, 232 - at clinical hotels and 1 932 - at hospitals, under medical supervision.
Inter-Agency Coordination Council led by Giorgi Gakharia, Prime Minister of Georgia actively engages the Parliament of Georgia chaired by MP Archil Talakvadze and Administration of the President of Georgia.
Press Service of the Government Administration