Head of NCDC: once a vaccine is approved, it will be available to the Georgian population
Georgia has ordered vaccines for one-fifth of the population which is about 700,000 people, and will sign for the pre-order with GAVI on September 18, while before October 8 Georgia has to pay the first deposit. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Once a vaccine for the coronavirus is approved, it will be available to the Georgian population, at first primarily to risk groups, said Head of the National Disease Control Centre Amiran Gamkrelidze earlier today.
He said that the country has already expressed interest in participating in GAVI, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, which seeks to ensure that countries across the world have access to a vaccine when one becomes valuable.
Georgia has ordered vaccines for one-fifth of the population which is about 700,000 people, and will sign for the pre-order with GAVI on September 18, while before October 8 Georgia has to pay the first deposit.
He added that this sum will guarantee that once the vaccine is approved by the World Health Organization it will be sent to Georgia.
As of now, 165 countries are engaged in COVID-19 vaccine global access facility.
75 countries will finance the vaccines from their own public finance budgets. However, these countries are partners with 90 lower-income countries that could be supported through voluntary donations to Gavi’s COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC).
Despite the micro-epidemic in the Georgian Black Sea resort city of Batumi, where 22 new cases of coronavirus have been reported during the last 24 hours, the city will not be put under lockdown.
The quarantine restrictions have been lifted today in the Mestia municipality in western Georgia, one of the most visited tourist attractions in the country, which was under lockdown after 17 people tested positive for the coronavirus on August 10.
Georgia has reported 38 new cases of the coronavirus earlier today, which is a record high number since April 16 when 42 cases of coronavirus were detected. 22 new patients contracted the virus from the cluster of confectionery Dona in Georgia's Black Sea resort town of Batumi, seven cases from contact from infected individuals, four cases were ‘imported’ of which two are truck drivers and the source of infections has not been identified in the remaining five cases.
The epidemiological situation is under control but the coronavirus has not yet been defeated, said Head of the National Disease Control Centre Amiran Gamkrelidze, urging citizens to observe all the recommendations of the Georgian Health Ministry.
Dreamland Oasis Chakvi hotel in Adjara region will be placed on temporary lockdown as a doctor attending a conference along with 400 other doctors has tested positive for coronavirus.
Georgia has reported 20 new cases of the coronavirus earlier today. Medical Director of Tbilisi Infectious Disease Hospital Marina Ezugbaia said that eight new patients contracted the virus from contact from infected individuals, one is a medical worker, seven cases are ‘imported’ of which four are truck drivers and the source of infections has not been identified in the remaining four cases.
Georgia will receive between 600 - 700,000 COVID-19 vaccines as soon as an effective one becomes available.
Georgia has reported 569 new cases of coronavirus, 329 recoveries and nine deaths in the past 24 hours. The majority of the cases were reported in the coastal Adjara region of Georgia and in the capital Tbilisi. Georgia has had 12,841 cases of the coronavirus since February 26, 2020. Since then 6,867 patients have recovered, while 102 others have died. As of today 5,872 individuals remain infected with Covid-19 in Georgia. More than 50 of the 5,872 patients are in critical condition.
The Georgian Ministry of Health held a meeting earlier today to review the current epidemiological situation in the country.
The Government of Georgia is determining high risks groups of vaccination after Georgia receives the coronavirus vaccine. Georgian Prime Minister stated yesterday that it is important to start vaccination in the country as soon as possible, using ‘safe and qualitative’ vaccine approved by the United States and the European Union.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus spoke of the global pandemic, Georgia’s efforts to curb spread of coronavirus and the vaccination process during a phone conversation earlier today.