PM Gakharia: two-month restrictions aim to ensure normal way of living by February
Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has stated that opposition should participate in the discussions of the 2021 state budget draft. Photo: government of Georgia press office.
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Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia says that the government-imposed coronavirus restrictions until January 31 aim to ensure a normal way of living starting February 1.
He said that the restrictions are expected to slow the pace of the spread of the virus and urged people to act in line with restrictions and recommendations.
No one has ever restricted freedom of expression in the country under the Georgian Dream leadership. To act in line with the restrictions which were demanded by epidemiologists, the pandemic and the current situation is not difficult,” Gakharia stated earlier today.
He said that the testing of 20,000 individuals daily will help the country reveal new cases in a timely fashion and prevent the further spread of the virus.
Gakharia stated that the draft of the 2021 state budget, which has already been submitted to parliament, ‘is balanced, and is focused on fighting with the pandemic, support for businesses and people and aims to prepare the state economy for the post-crisis period.’
Opposition parties say that the October 31 parliamentary elections were fabricated. They refuse to take up their mandates and are demanding repeat elections. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
He said that per the second wave of support for people and the business sector, 1.4 billion GEL will be allocated.
280 million of the 1.4 billion GEL will be used this year, while 1,140,000 GEL will be spent next year and the money is included in the draft of the budget,” Gakharia said.
He stated that the budget also includes an additional 450 million GEL which will be spent for the treatment of Covid-19 patients, vaccination and testing.
Gakharia stated that ‘it is of top importance’ all parties who were voted into parliament to participate in discussions of the budget.
Deputy Head of the Task Force under the Interagency Coordination Council Berdia Sichinava announced earlier today that the group is responsible for ensuring the timely import of the vaccines and to supervise infrastructural and logistics processes.
Starting today the Georgian government will ensure 20,000 daily coronavirus tests around the country to reveal new infections and curb the spread of the virus in a timely fashion. Large-scale testing will continue until February 1, 2021. Tests conducted by private clinics and labs will be added to the 20,000 tests. Rapid tests will be actively used in the process,” said the government, adding that testing will also ensure proper hospitalisation of critical patients.
A Christmas village will not be arranged in central Tbilisi for the upcoming holidays this year, with the funds going instead to help poor families for the New Year’s and Christmas holidays, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze stated earlier today.
Georgia has reported 4,260 new cases of coronavirus, 2,947 recoveries and 45 deaths in the past 24 hours. Georgia has had 147,636 cases of coronavirus since February 26, 2020. Since then 124,568 individuals have recovered, while 1,387 others have died. 6,561 patients are undergoing treatment in hospitals as of today. 1,027 of the 6,561 patients are in critical condition. 390 of the 1,027 critical patients are on artificial ventilation.
Georgia reported 5,068 new cases of coronavirus earlier today: a record-high figure since the country confirmed its first case of the virus on February 26, 2020.Earlier this week the government announced large-scale testing of the public, about 20,000 individuals on a daily basis, to reveal new infections in a timely fashion and prevent the further spread of the virus. The process will continue until February 1, 2021. Georgia has had 152,704 cases of coronavirus since February.
The list of sites offering coronavirus tests in Tbilisi will increase, said Head of the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) Amiran Gamkrelidze.
The New Year Tree celebrating the onset of the end-of-year festive season in capital Tbilisi will be lit up on Thursday, mayor Kakha Kaladze said while unveiling the shortened programme for celebrations on Wendesday.
Georgia has reported 2,635 new cases, 2,244 recoveries and 49 deaths in the past 24 hours. 16,870 tests have been conducted in the past 24 hours around the country (8,011 of the 16,870 tests were rapid tests, while the remaining 8,859 were PCR tests). Georgia has had 204,003 cases of coronavirus since February. 171,526 of the 201,368 individuals have recovered, while 2,002 others have died.
The government of Georgia says that several coronavirus restrictions which were scheduled to be lifted between December 24 and January 2 will not take place to preserve a ‘positive dynamic’ in curbing the spread of the virus.The government says that the restrictions imposed since November 28 have made the situation stable.“However, the rate of daily infections is still high and lifting the restrictions as was previously scheduled may have a negative influence on the general situation,” said the government.
Shopping centres will open their doors between December 24 and January 2 from 7 am to 7 pm.
Georgia has reported 1,881 new cases, 1,515 recoveries and 37 deaths in the past 24 hours. 13,655 tests have been conducted in the past 24 hours around the country. 6,747 of the 13,655 tests were rapid tests, while the remaining 6,908 were PCR tests. Georgia has had 218,724 cases of coronavirus since February. 196,220 of the 218,724 individuals have recovered, while 2,313 others have died.