Georgian gov’t determining high risk groups for vaccination, working to receive vaccine ‘as soon as possible’
Georgia is expected to receive the coronavirus vaccine either in March or April 2021 via the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility (Covax). However, the country is holding negotiations to receive the vaccine even before. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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The Government of Georgia is determining high risks groups of vaccination after Georgia receives the coronavirus vaccine.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia noted at the meeting of the special working group overseeing the COVID-19 vaccination process 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.
Georgia is expected to receive the coronavirus vaccine via the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility (Covax) either in Spring 2021. However, the country is now holding active negotiations with its partner states to receive sufficient amount of coronavirus vaccine before.
Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili said during the meeting that the foreign ministry - through its diplomatic missions - is meanwhile holding consultations with the manufacturing companies.
Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia noted that intensive work is underway to define the most acceptable vaccine, the ways of transportation and the target group(s) which will be vaccinated first.
Public Defender Nino Lomjaria who also attended the meeting said the decisions concerning the vaccination process should be transparent. Therefore, she said the population should be provided with updates about the negotiations over the vaccination.
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.
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.
Georgia is expected to receive the coronavirus vaccine either in March or April 2021 via the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility (Covax), the head of Georgia’s National Centre for Disease Control, Amiran Gamkrelidze, stated earlier today.
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.
The Georgian Interior Ministry reported earlier today that 104 individuals were fined for breaching self-isolation and quarantine rules including during the curfew, while the other 745 individuals were fined for not wearing face masks.
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.
Restaurants in Georgia will have to open their doors starting on January 15 or face a risk of permanent closure, Georgian Restaurateurs Association founder Shota Burjanadze said at a press briefing on Wednesday in comments on the current governmental restrictions on the venues.
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.
Once Georgia receives the coronavirus vaccine, it will initially be available to medics, epidemiologists and elderly people in nursing homes, said Head of the National Disease Control Centre Amiran Gamkrelidze today.
Georgian Health Officials say that the country will be able to receive only 200,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine against coronavirus as of today as Georgia lacks refrigeration facilities to keep the vaccines in mandatory -80 degree conditions.
Georgia has reported 1,357 new cases of coronavirus, 748 recoveries and 21 deaths in the past 24 hours. 13,360 individuals remain infected with Covid-19 in Georgia as of today. 15,891 tests have been conducted in the past 24 hours around the country. 8,767 of the 15,891 tests were rapid tests, while the remaining 7,124 were PCR tests. Georgia has had 244,612 cases of coronavirus since February 2020. 228,359 of the 244,612 individuals have recovered, while 2,867 others have died.
The Pfizer vaccine may be the first vaccine Georgia uses to combat the coronavirus in the near future, said Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze earlier today.
The 43,200 doses of AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine has arrived in Georgia this morning. UNICEF, which has supported the Government of Georgia in procuring the Covid-19 vaccines, has announced that the plane has already landed at Tbilisi International Airport.