2021-08-12

The Inter-Agency Coordination Council has decided to impose restrictions on the grounds of an analysis of the deteriorating trend of epidemic situation both globally and in Georgia.

Meeting of the Council led by Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia was held at the Government Administration. It was noted that the epidemic situation is complicated both globally and in Georgia, mainly due to the wide circulation of the new strain (a.k.a. Delta). Analysis of the community transfer rate and current trends resulted in the following: irrespective of the intensified process of immunization in August 2021, Coordination Council has deemed it justified to implement the so-called non-pharmaceutical interventions. Thus, Coordination Council has ruled to impose the following restrictions for 3 weeks from August 14 through September 4:

- Mobility of municipal transport will be restricted. Restriction does not apply to the inter-city transportation;

- Full ban is imposed on festivals, entertainment events, concerts and sports contests;

- Operation of entertainment centers for children;

- Operation of eateries, which will be allowed to service customers until 23:00 instead of the current threshold set at 00:00;

- Public institutions are instructed to move their staff onto the remote format to the maximum extent possible and similar recommendation is given by the Council to employers in the private sector;

- With an aim of a greater nation-wide extension and accessibility of vaccines, military medical personnel will get engaged in the process of vaccination and operate as immunization brigades; state will provide regular transportation of local population to and from the vaccinating units wherever the municipal transport gets restricted;

- Ministry of Health continues to operate towards mobilizing additional hospital beds;

- Control over the enforcement of the current regulations will be tightened to a maximum extent, including on the organization of social events, such as wedding parties, funeral dinners, etc. Venues will be sanctioned with 10 000 GEL for hosting events of these type, but will be subject to sealing if found in breach of the regulation for the second time;

- At the same time, Director of the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) recommended the Coordination Council today to consider imposing a regulation whereby eateries, spa salons, fitness centers and similar establishments admit customers and staff from September on the grounds of one dose or full cycle of vaccination, negative PCR test result obtained in the past 72 hours or express antigen test obtained in the past 24 hours. Council will discuss the proposal and inform the public on its decisions.

Since the first detection, 466 326 lab-proven cases of COVI-19 have been recorded so far in Georgia, out of which 412 420 individuals recovered and 6 279 - died.

Currently, 64 individuals are placed in quarantine, 3 288 - at clinical hotels and 6 627 individuals - at healthcare facilities under medical care.

Inter-Agency Coordination Council led by the Prime Minister of Georgia actively engages the Parliament of Georgia chaired by MP Kakha Kuchava and Administration of the President of Georgia.

Press Service of the Government Administration