What coronavirus restrictions will be lifted in Georgia in February and March?
The epidemiological situation will be assessed by February 15 and further reduction of the restrictions will continue if the average 7-day positive rate is reduced to 4%. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Several coronavirus-related restrictions will be lifted in Georgia in February and in March, following a plan approved at today's Interagency Coordination Council meeting.
Georgian Infrastructure Minister and the first Deputy Prime Minister Maia Tskitishvili said that since there are signs of an easing of the epidemiological situation in some regions of Georgia, there is also the possibility of lifting several restrictions.
As of today, there are certain restrictions in eight big cities of Georgia. We are constantly assessing the epidemiological situation and since we already have signs of mitigation in certain regions, we therefore have the opportunity to alleviate the restrictions", said Tskitishvili.
Starting February 1:
Municipal transport, schools, shops and shopping centres will resume in Batumi, Zugdidi, Gori, Poti and Telavi.
Shops and shopping centres will be opened in Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Rustavi.
In the Adjara region it will be permitted to receive guests in open spaces and open food facilities, however restrictions on weddings, various social events or parties are still in force.
Starting February 15:
Open and closed markets will be opened in all cities of Georgia.
Starting March 1
Operations of schools, kindergartens and vocational and higher education institutions are planned to be resumed.
Municipal transport is also planned to restore operations.
What restrictions remain in force?
- Restrictions on movement across the country remain in effect from 21:00 to 05:00 until 1 March
- Municipal transport will not be available on weekends during February, while restaurants, food facilities and shops will operate only with a delivery service; produce markets, food and animal feed stores, pharmacies will continue to operate as usual, following the safety rules
- Movement of the intercity transport will also be restricted
- All other restrictions remain in force, including at ski resorts
Wearing face masks, managing customers' flow and distance between them is mandatory and will be strictly monitored.
Businesses will have the obligation to ensure staff testing
As a result of consultations with businesses and experts, mandatory testing protocols were established for each economic activity based on epidemiological risks:
- All types of trade facilities, with more than 30 employees, including fairs, will be required to provide testing of at least 20% of employees once every two weeks
- It will be mandatory for food facilities to test 50% of employees once every two weeks
- Systematic testing of teachers will be carried out once in two weeks
From today, businesses will be able to register on a special portal www.labour.moh.gov.ge and test employees for free until March 1, with state funding.
The epidemiological situation will be assessed by February 15 and further reduction of the restrictions will continue if the average 7-day positive rate is reduced to 4%.
Georgia has reported 903 new cases of coronavirus, 636 recoveries and 24 deaths in the past 24 hours. 10,189 individuals remain infected with Covid-19 in Georgia as of today. 14,827 tests have been conducted in the past 24 hours around the country.Georgia has had 251,974 cases of coronavirus since February 2020. 238,737 of the 251,974 individuals have recovered, while 3,022 others have died.
The Georgian government expects to have vaccinated 60% of the country by the end of 2021, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced at today's government meeting. Gakharia said that high risk groups will be vaccinated at the first stage.
Fifteen business associations in Georgia have sent an open letter to the government of Georgia today in which they demand coronavirus-related restrictions to be lifted step by step.
Taxi drivers will undergo mandatory PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing for Covid-19 in Tbilisi, said Tbilisi City Mayor Kakha Kaladze earlier today.
Georgia has reported 998 new cases of COVID-19 after conducting 7,412 PCR tests and 8,855 rapid tests over the last 24 hours. Out of the 998 new cases 448 were reported in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.
Georgia has reported 546 new cases of COVID-19 over the last 24 hours after conducting 6,269 PCR tests and 4,979 rapid tests. 1,456 people have recovered from the virus, 17 have died, while 8,352 individuals remain infected throughout the country.
A number of opposition politicians, representatives of various businesses and ordinary citizens gathered in front of the administrative building of the government of Georgia earlier today demanding coronavirus restrictions be lifted.
Georgia's tourism industry representatives have delivered an open letter to the government outlining their "disagreement" with the announced timescale for easing coronavirus-related restrictions in the country over the following months.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said at today's inter-agency coordination council meeting that if the community transmission rate continues to remain at over 4% any talk about normal economic performance is 'nothing more than gossip'.
A total of 228,410 cases of Covid-19 were reported in Georgia between February 26, 2019 and December 31, 2020, reads the fifth review of the Covid-19 in Georgia, published by the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health.
School teachers who start teaching in person on February 1 will be tested for coronavirus by PCR before studies resume.
Georgian Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister Maia Tskitishvili says that 'our international guests' can still visit the Georgian region of Adjara via flights that connect Georgia to other countries.
In order to support the fitness industry of Georgia the government is going to subsidise the interest rate of loans of fitness centres, announces Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava.
Shopping malls will open their doors starting February 1 with dressing rooms working and already sold products allowed to be exchanged as well, said Infrastructure Minister Maia Tskitishvili earlier today after a meeting with representatives of malls and shopping malls at the Chancellery of the Government of Georgia.
Georgian Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze says that it is important for Adjara region of Georgia to be fully reopened and keep the community transmission rate at 3%. After the meeting with the local business community Tikaradze said that business is ready to cooperate with the government.
Over 100 restaurants in Tbilisi will stop working on January 30 for 24 hours as a form of protest against the coronavirus restrictions in the restaurant sector, according to which they can only work with takeaway service, said founder of the Georgian Restaurateurs Association Shota Burjanadze.
Several Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted in Georgia today since there are signs of an easing of the epidemiological situation in some regions of Georgia, the government announced earlier today. Municipal transport will resume operations in five Georgian cities of Batumi, Zugdidi, Gori, Poti and Telavi, but will not operate on weekends in order to manage increased mobility.Shops and shopping centres are opened in the same five cities during the working days and will be closed on weekends.
About 200 restaurants in Georgia plan to resume operations on Saturday, February 6 despite the Covid-19 restrictions, announces the chairman of the Restaurant Association, Shota Burjanadze. He said that the decision was made today and additional details will be announced tomorrow.
Georgia has reported 583 new cases of coronavirus, 671 recoveries and 19 deaths in the past 24 hours.
The Georgian government has announced the lifting of several coronavirus-related restrictions due to the decrease in daily infections. Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia stated earlier today that all public transport around the country will resume operations starting February 8, as well as open markets. Starting February 15 all food facilities, including restaurants will be able to provide their service only in open areas.
Twelve per cent of students from 13 cities of Georgia have expressed their desire to continue studies online, Deputy Health Minister Ekaterine Dgebuadze said earlier today.
Ten business associations in Georgia have sent an open letter to Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia in which they demand coronavirus restrictions be lifted step by step and offer help with the vaccination process.
The Georgian government has announced the lifting of several coronavirus restrictions. Starting tomorrow ski resorts in Georgia will open, while cable cars will start operations on March 8. Also starting February 25, intercity traffic will resume in the country. The restaurants across Georgia will resume full service from the beginning of March.