Health official on first doses of Pfizer vaccine: ‘the beginning of the end of the pandemic'

Head of Infectious Diseases and AIDS Centre Tengiz Tsertsvadze says the reception of the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be 'the beginning of the end’ of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Congratulations! It has been officially confirmed that Georgia will be one of the first developing countries to receive the first doses of the highest quality vaccine in the shortest time”, Tsertsvadze wrote in a Facebook post yesterday. 

He also noted that vaccination is ‘the most effective way’ to reduce the cases of COVID-19 and related deaths, as well as to gradually and safely remove all of the restrictions and regulations.

• First doses of Pfizer vaccine to arrive in Georgia in late February

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia announced yesterday that the first doses of Pfizer vaccine that will be administered to health workers are due to arrive in Georgia by late February. 

Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia has also confirmed that the country will initially receive a total of 29,250 doses of the vaccine. 

• Health officials: Georgia technically ready to receive all three coronavirus vaccines approved by WHO

Gabunia said health workers are in the highest risk group, therefore, they will be the first to get the shot. However, she said 60% of the Georgian population will be vaccinated by the end of 2021.  

Georgia is also expected to receive over 300,000 doses of the vaccine produced by AstraZeneca.