Epidemiological updates, restriction on movement lifted for Christmas
By Khatia Bzhalava
Thursday, January 7
Yesterday, Georgia reported 1 800 new cases of COVID-19. Since the detection of the first case, so far 233 879 cases have been recorded. According to the recent data, the total number of recoveries has reached 223 276, and the death toll stands at 2 666.
Due to the celebration of Orthodox Christmas, yesterday, the restriction imposed on movement from 21:00 to 05:00 within the scope of the government’s two-month partial lockdown, was temporarily lifted countrywide. Despite setting an exception on Christmas, the government urged citizens to celebrate the holiday with a close family circle. The restriction on movement is again in force from January 7.
According to the Deputy Minister of Health, Tamar Gabunia, even though the number of new cases are relatively declining against the background of imposed restrictions, the spread is still intensive as the COVID-19 positivity rate, which should remain at 5% or lower, stands at 11%. She noted that an additional capacity is being created for the hospital sector, which includes mobilizing extra 300-400 hospital beds for the next wave of the pandemic.
According to Gabunia, within the framework of intensive testing for COVID, people in different business environments will be tested, especially in business environments where people have to work indoors and are not able to keep their distance or wear masks all the time.
The Minister of Justice of Georgia Gocha Lortkipanidze noted yesterday that as a result of intensive testing performed on minors and female prisoners, 23 inmates tested positive for coronavirus. According to him, regardless, the situation in the penitentiary system is taken under control.
A Specialized Task Force established with the instructions of the Prime Minister of Georgia is actively involved in negotiations to make sure that the first doses of the COVID vaccine reach the country as early as possible. Also, foreign ministers of 13 EU countries have called on the European Commission to provide support to the Eastern Partnership countries, including Georgia, in receiving the coronavirus vaccine in spring. In their letter, the foreign ministers of Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Sweden stated that it was fundamental to send a strong and coordinated message on the strategic value of the Eastern Partnership ahead of the forthcoming EU-Eastern Partnership summit.
