Health minister: mandatory vaccination for medical workers not on agenda
Georgian Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze has urged medical workers to receive coronavirus vaccines. Photo: Health Ministry press office.
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Georgian Health Minister Ekaterine Tikaradze has stated that mandatory vaccination for medical workers ‘is not planned at this stage.’
Observing the vaccination process at Tbilisi Republican Hospital with the US ambassador earlier today, Tikaradze stated that the medical personnel ‘are well aware of the situation and we are waiting for their independent decisions to receive vaccines.’
Georgian health officials have admitted earlier that the vaccination process among the medical personnel is ‘quite slow’ and they have urged them ‘to show a good example to the public.’
Tikaradze also said that vaccination is an ‘additional benefit’ along with wearing of face masks and observing coronavirus guidelines to fight with Covid-19.
432,795 individuals have received Sinovac, Sinopharm, AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines in the country since March 2021.
Only 144,222 of the 432,795 individuals received their both doses of the vaccines.
US Ambassador Kelly Degnan, whose country has recently donated 500,000 Pfizer vaccines to Georgia, has stated that ‘vaccination is crucial to protect ourselves, our family members and the state economy.’
The United States is very pleased to have been able to donate 500,000 doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine and we are really pleased to see so many Georgians coming out now to register and to get vaccinated. - Amb Degnan https://t.co/B24o32dKM1
— U.S. Embassy Tbilisi (@usingeo) July 28, 2021
Degnan said she is happy that ‘many people have been registered and are receiving coronavirus vaccines in Georgia.’
According to the latest data around 14,000 individuals receive vaccines on a daily basis.
Sonovac and Sinopharm vaccines, as well as Pfizer vaccines are available in the country currently.
Coronavirus cases began to surge in Georgia since July 2021 and hit a record figure, 3,666 daily cases yesterday.
Georgia has not reported such a high number of new infections since January 2021.
Georgian health officials confirmed two cases of the new Delta plus variant yesterday and added that almost half of new infections are Delta which is more transmissible and resistant to therapies.
40,553 tests were conducted around the country in the past 24 hours. 23,242 of the 40,553 tests were rapid tests, while the remaining 17,311 were PCR tests. The country has had 410,830 cases of coronavirus since February 26, 2020. 6.28 per cent of tested individuals had Covid-19 in the past 14 days.377,597 of the 410,830 patients have recovered, while 5,751 have died from the virus.
Georgia has reported 3,666 new cases of coronavirus over the past 24 hours which is a record high figure since January 2021. Seventeen individuals have died and 1,335 have recovered from Covid-19 over the past 24 hours. Georgia has reported 407,689 cases of coronavirus since February 26, 2020. 376,088 of the 407,689 individuals have recovered, while 5,731 have died from the virus. Almost 26,000 individuals remain infected with coronavirus in Georgia currently.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that the government has no plans to reimpose coronavirus restrictions ‘because the state economy will not withstand them.’ He stated at today’s governmental meeting that the authorities have decided to ‘manage the epidemiological situation in the country rather than impose lockdown and other restrictions.’Garibashvili has urged the public to receive vaccines and to trust scientists and not various ‘anti-vaccine fake information and Facebook pages.’
19,375 tests were conducted around the country in the past 24 hours. 9,807 of the 19,375 tests were rapid tests, while the remaining 9,568 were PCR tests. The country has had 404,023 cases of coronavirus since February 26, 2020. 5.73 per cent of tested individuals had Covid-19 in the past 14 days.374,753 of the 404,023 patients have recovered, while 5,714 have died from the virus.
Georgia has reported 2,796 new cases of coronavirus, 2,088 recoveries and 17 deaths in the past 24 hours. 41,684 tests were conducted around the country in the past 24 hours. 23,712 of the 41,684 tests were rapid tests, while the remaining 17,972 were PCR tests. The country has had 413,626 cases of coronavirus since February 26, 2020. 6.73 per cent of tested individuals had Covid-19 in the past 14 days. 379,685 of the 413,626 patients have recovered, while 5,768 have died from the virus.
Individuals vaccinated at the Central Republican Hospital in Tbilisi will be observed for adverse effects in specially arranged field tents, reports Interpressnews agency.
Individuals in Georgia will be able to receive Pfizer coronavirus vaccines not only in hospitals, but also in outpatient facilities, Deputy Georgian Health Minister Tamar Gabunia stated earlier today.
Georgia has reported 2,654 new cases of coronavirus, 1,319 recoveries and 33 deaths in the past 24 hours. 431,806 tests were conducted around the country in the past 24 hours. 17,708 of the 31,806 tests were rapid tests, while the remaining 14,098 were PCR tests. The country has had 422,188 cases of coronavirus since February 26, 2020.