Gov’t to gift Georgia-made face masks to workers in contact with large numbers of people
The first batch of face masks produced in Georgia will be available later today. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The Georgian government will gift around half a million face masks made in the country to people who have active contact with people due to their profession, the Georgian Ministry of Economy reports.
Medical personnel, border guards, cashiers and others in active, daily contact with people, both in the public and private sectors, will receive face masks free of charge.
The first batch of face masks made by Adjara Textile in western Georgia will be ready later today, with Economy Minister Natia Turnava visiting the site to familiarise herself with the production process.
About 10 Georgian textile companies have launched the production of face masks as they are in deficit worldwide.
The price of the face masks made in Georgia will be dependent on the price of the materials imported in the country which are used in making face masks.
The Georgian Red Cross Society (GRCS) has started to train volunteers who will be able to provide food, medication and hygiene products to elderly individuals, those with special needs living alone, as well as to the disadvantaged and individuals with chronic illnesses in order to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus – COVID-19, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze stated today.
Around 10 Georgian companies have launched production of face masks in a move to prevent an outbreak of the new coronavirus, with the first batch set to be purchased by the government.
The US government has announced a rapid response grant programme for Georgian civil society organisations, civic movements and citizen groups to help the country respond to challenges caused by COVID-19 virus in a timely manner.
Georgia has reported two new cases of COVID-19 earlier today, with the total number of infected people with the respiratory infection standing at 39. Since February 26, 2020 Georgia has had 40 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with one already recovered and discharged. Health officials say that the condition of three patients [of 39] is separately severe as one is over 80, having chronic illness, while two others also suffer from other health issues.
A 74-year-old Georgian woman with underlying chronic disease has died in Spain after being infected with COVID-19, the Georgian government has confirmed.
Georgia’s National Tourism Administration (GNTA) will create quarantine zones for Georgian citizens returning to the country from abroad amid the outbreak of the new coronavirus – COVID-19, said GNTA head Mariam Kvrivishvili today.
Georgian citizens who are now in the EU Schengen Zone and will have to violate the legal, 90-day-term of stay due to restrictions imposed because of the COVID-19 virus, will receive ‘personal support’ from the Georgian government.Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani says that his body is in active communication with the European Commission and the EU member states to support Georgian citizens who are unable to leave the Schengen Zone.
Over 500 beds are available at designated health venues in Georgia for combating the new coronavirus, the Minister of Health said on Thursday.
Radio channels across Georgia will join their European counterparts in bringing encouragement to those staying at home or battling the coronavirus outbreak by playing the same song throughout the continent at the same time on Friday.
Georgia is negotiating with large US biopharmaceutical company Gilead to receive Remdesivir – an experimental medicine that has been used since 2015 against Ebola, which has also been used by Chinese doctors against COVID-19 in some cases.
Six Georgian textile companies have produced one million face masks in the last two weeks in an effort to help stem the spread of the new coronavirus. Two more companies will also start the production from Monday.
The EU-supported sewing workshop attached to a convent in Kakheti is producing 5,000 medical masks in response to the coronavirus, which will be gifted to people at risk and medical staff in Dedoplistskaro municipality, the EU in Georgia press office said.
Georgian company Medifari, which produces facemasks, is negotiating with Italy, the United States, Russia, Austria and Israel to export face masks to these countries.