COVID-19 and new regulations
By Anastasia Sokhadze
Tuesday, September 8
According to the Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Gakharia, from September 15th, foreigners entering Georgia on a reciprocal basis will have to submit the answer to the PCR test.
According to the Prime Minister, the decision was made to insure the health of Georgian citizens and foreigners.
“From September 15th, all foreigners entering Georgia, including on the principle of reciprocity, who had no obligation to enter the country freely, will be required to take a 72-hour PCR test, which is necessary for us to work with colleagues and partners, our citizens and Insure the health of guests as well.
This decision applies to countries that have not had any restrictions on the principle of reciprocity, they will be granted a similar request from September 15th," said the Prime Minister.
The regulations are also going to change. According to Gakharia, the control of social and ritual events in closed spaces will be way stricter.
As he said after the meeting of the Interagency Council, the requirements for open spaces are relatively light.
Also, according to the decision of the Coordinating Council of the Government, schoolchildren and students in Batumi and Kobuleti will start studying remotely during the first two weeks. Gakharia talked about it as well at the briefing held after the meeting of the Coordination Council in the Government Administration.
For two weeks, until October 1st, studies in Kobuleti and Batumi will be distance learning, which means that in Batumi and Kobuleti children will continue their studies in schools and students in classrooms from October 1st.
The decision to reduce the quarantine period to 8 days is expected to be made by the Interagency Council today, on September 7th. It is planned to hold a council meeting in the government administration.
At the same time, as the Deputy Minister of Health Tamar Gabunia said, incase the quarantine period is reduced to 8 days, the quarantine or self-isolated person will have to undergo PCR test twice in the next 72-72 hours after leaving the quarantine area.
According to her, reducing the quarantine regime from 12 to 8 days is an optimal model.
"There are only two mechanisms to protect us from imported cases. One is isolation, through quarantine and self-isolation, and the other is testing. Our country today uses the PCR testing mechanism once every 72 hours,” stated Gabunia.
Also, according to Amiran Gamkrelidze of the National Center for Disease Control, from tomorrow in Batumi, testing will start at the Khopa market. As he told reporters, beyond 34 cases confirmed today, there was one more individual infected at the Khopi market.
