Centre for Disease Control head confirms capacity for Pfizer vaccine refrigerators
The Pfizer vaccine for the coronavirus requires refrigerators able to store the preparation at around -70C/-80C temperature. Photo: Dado Ruvic/Reuters.
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The Georgian healthcare system has capacity for refrigerators required for the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 virus, in case the country selects the preparation for purchase, the Head of the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health Amiran Gamkrelidze announced on Wendesday.
Speaking on updates about the country's preparation for vaccinating its citizens from the COVID-19 virus, the health official confirmed availability of 40 refrigerators fit to store the American pharmaceutical corporation's vaccine.
Gamkrelidze said part of the devices designed to store Pfizer vaccines at the required -70C to -80C degrees temperature were already being purchased for the healthcare system and had been assessed for capacity.
The refrigerators can be set up in "big cities" in case the Pfizer preparation is acquired by Georgia for vaccination, the head of the NCDC added.
Gamkrelidze also confirmed availability of a second type of refrigerators, designed to store vaccines from Moderna, another United States-based company working on preparation against the coronavirus. The refrigerators can store the substance at -20C degrees and could be "freely installed" across the country, the official said.
Georgia has reported 3,487 new cases of coronavirus, 2,495 recoveries and 39 deaths in the past 24 hours. 17,943 tests have been conducted in the past 24 hours around the country; 10,477 of the 17,943 tests were rapid tests, while the remaining 7,466 were PCR tests. Georgia has had 198,387 cases of coronavirus since February. 167,281 of the 198,387 individuals have recovered, while 1,922 others have died. 29,158 individuals remain infected with Covid-19 in Georgia as of today.
Over 31,000 facilities have been inspected and 27 fined for violating coronavirus safety regulations between November 28 and December 13 across the country, the Labor Conditions Inspecting Department reports.
Georgia has reported 1,337 new cases, 3,498 recoveries and 49 deaths in the past 24 hours. 6,554 tests have been conducted in the past 24 hours around the country; 3,064 of the 6,554 tests were rapid tests, while the remaining 3,490 were PCR tests. Georgia has had 191,063 cases of coronavirus since February. 161,681 of the 191,063 individuals have recovered, while 1,839 others have died. 27,517 individuals remain infected with Covid-19 in Georgia as of today.
The European Union has mobilised 1.5 billion GEL to support Georgia during the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020. This is ‘one of the highest levels of EU assistance per capita to any country in the world and demonstrates the EU’s strong solidarity with Georgia at this time of unprecedented crisis’.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has stated earlier today that for the first time in the past several months the country reported less than 3,000 daily infections from more than 17,000 daily tests. Georgia has reported 2,981 new cases, 2,001 recoveries and 31 deaths in the past 24 hours. 17,029 tests have been conducted in the past 24 hours around the country (8,859 of the 17,029 tests were rapid tests, while the remaining 8,170 were PCR tests).
Remdesivir, a US-produced medicine against Ebola which is also used against Covid-19, has entered Georgia and will be used in the treatement of Covid-19 patients who are in critical condition from Monday, Georgian Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze stated earlier today.
A number of innovative approaches, such as fever clinics, online clinics and COVID hotels may be a good example for other countries while fighting against COVID-19 pandemic, said Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Europe at a press conference with Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze.
A total of 2,904 new cases of coronavirus have been reported over the last 24 hours in Georgia after conducting 9,318 PCR and 9,506 rapid tests. Meanwhile, 4,316 individuals have recovered, outnumbering new cases, while 53 have died.
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.
A total of 1,731 new cases of coronavirus have been reported over the last 24 hours in Georgia after conducting 9,812 tests. Meanwhile, 4,599 individuals have recovered, outnumbering the new cases, while 39 have died. Out of the 1,731 new cases 774 were reported in Tbilisi.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell and WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge discussed the EU support to the county’s healthcare system, as well as further developments and perspectives of cooperation with the WHO during the meeting in Tbilisi yesterday.
Georgia has reported 824 new cases, 4,227 recoveries and 46 deaths in the past 24 hours. 4,811 tests have been conducted in the past 24 hours around the country due to the weekend (2,480 of the 4,811 tests were rapid tests, while the remaining 2,331 were PCR tests). Georgia has had 209,462 cases of coronavirus since February. 184,668 of the 209,462 individuals have recovered, while 2,140 others have died.