Georgia plans to vaccinate half of its population against coronavirus this year
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The Georgian government has plans to vaccinate 60 per cent of its population of 3.7 million this year, head of Georgia’s National Centre for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze stated earlier today.
He said that vaccination will not cover individuals under 18 because clinical studies of the vaccines in the under 18 age group have not been conducted so far.
The vaccination of 60 per cent of the country’s population is necessary for the collective immunity. That is why the country’s plan is to vaccinate 60 per cent. I wish to vaccinate 60 per cent this year which will allow us to return to the normal way of living. I know this will be difficult but not impossible. Without vaccination we will not be able to defeat the coronavirus. I hope that the people will show high civil responsibility and accept vaccination,” Gamkrelidze said.
He stated that per several studies around 50-60 per cent of the country’s population is ready to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
Risk groups will be vaccinated first. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Gamkrelidze said that the budget will cost the vaccination process between 65-170 million GEL if 60 per cent of the Georgian population is vaccinated.
Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradaze said today that Georgia is likely to receive vaccines in the first quarter of 2021.
She stated that only high quality vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation will be purchased.
Georgia has had 245,789 cases of coronavirus since February 2020.
229,196 of the 245,789 individuals have recovered, while 2,893 others have died.
The vaccination of non-risk groups against coronavirus will start in summer or early autumn, said Deputy Head of NCDC Paata Imnadze earlier 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.
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.
Georgian citizens will receive all the high quality coronavirus vaccinations which will be approved by international health organisations, said Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia earlier today.
Hotels in mountainous tourist areas of Georgia will have to be allowed to receive visitors starting February 1 in order to revive the tourist sector "from dead", founder of the Georgian Hotel, Restaurant and Café Federation (HOREKA) Shalva Alaverdashvili said in a press briefing on Friday.
Georgia has reported 1,236 new cases of coronavirus after conducting 15,152 tests over the last 24 hours. 485 out of the new 1,236 cases were reported in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. Meanwhile, 2,189 people have recovered and 23 others have died.
Georgia has reported 780 new cases of coronavirus after conducting 9,083 tests over the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, 1,608 people have recovered and 17 infected individuals have died. 811 people, including two taxi drivers, have been fined for coronavirus-related violations.
Georgia is technically ready to receive and ensure the appropriate storage of all three vaccines against coronavirus which have been internationally approved, Georgian Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia stated earlier today.
About 14,000 medical workers will receive the Pfizer vaccine once Georgia will receive it in the middle of February, Head of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Amiran Gamkrelidze said today.
“Covid-19 vaccination of the majority of the population by the end of 2021 is a complete fantasy”, Head of the National Immunisation Council Ivane Chkhaidze has stated today. While talking about the importance of mass immunisations, Chkhaidze noted that as the Delta Covid-19 variant is more transmissible and aggressive, the vaccination of only 60 per cent of the population is not enough to end the pandemic.