Facemasks mandatory in closed and open spaces

By Natalia Kochiashvili

Wednesday, August 18

According to the decision of the Coordinating Council, from now on, wearing a facemask in open and closed spaces becomes mandatory again.

Rati Bregadze and Ekaterine Tikaradze jointly observed the process of issuing the covid card. The document can be obtained in almost all branches of Justice Hall throughout Georgia.

Issuance of vaccination cards has started in the houses of justice and public centers from August 16. Until now, Covid cards were issued only in medical institutions where citizens were vaccinated.

Information on complete or partial vaccination and recent PCR examination on the card, as well as the unique QR code of the vaccine and personal data are recorded and certified with the stamp of the House of Justice.

The card will be issued for free on the basis of an ID card upon submission of the application, without prior reservation.

“If a citizen needs a card register to be presented abroad with an apostille/legalization certificate, they will be able to receive this service on the spot, in houses of justice and community centers,” the Ministry of Justice said in a statement.

Georgia is working to get information about vaccinated citizens into the international database.

"The state is already working with the EU to bring the information about vaccinated people to the international database soon, which will make it easier for citizens to travel, both in terms of business and tourism," the statement said.

The overall epidemiological situation is critical throughout the country. According to Amiran Gamkrelidze, head of the National Center for Disease Control, if the daily coronavirus infection rate does not fall below 4% before September 15, they will not be able to recommend the commencement of the studies in the building of the educational institution.

“We expect that the restrictions we have just introduced - the intensification of vaccinations - should seriously reduce the number of new cases in the country, and if the positive rate drops below 4% (we now have 10%), then there will be a question of resumption of education,” he said.

Starting August 17, it is still mandatory in Georgia to wear facemasks in the open spaces as well as closed ones. The decision made by the Interagency Coordination Council was announced by the Minister of Health Ekaterine Tikaradze.

In the last 24 hours, 6208 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Georgia, the highest daily rate during an almost 2-year epidemic. According to the NCDC, 47,872 tests were performed in the past 24 hours.

Tikaradze stated that the majority, 95% of these 7000 covid patients admitted to the clinics have not received any dose of vaccines. According to the Minister, 2.85% of those admitted to the clinic were vaccinated with one dose, and 2.13% - with two doses.

According to official information, as of August 17, 831,815 people have been vaccinated in Georgia. There are more than 52,000 active cases.

47 patients with COVID-19 have died in the last 24 hours, whilst the number of recoveries increased by 3539.

Georgia is currently experiencing the worst wave of the coronavirus epidemic. The death rate and infection rate have increased dramatically compared to the previous waves. At least 90% of patients have a more contagious and complex delta strain.