Georgian health officials: epidemic situation ‘tense,’ but increased vaccination ‘gives hope’
NCDC head said that the COVID-19 reproductive index has dropped below one. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Georgian Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia and head of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Amiran Gamkrelidze said earlier today that the epidemic situation in the country remains ‘tense,’ but the increasing number of daily vaccinations ‘gives hope.’
Georgia has reported 5,204 new COVID-19 cases, 4,785 recoveries and 83 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Infection rates in Georgia. Photo: datacov.moh.gov.ge
Vaccination Rates
2,057,216 people (36% of the population) have received at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine in the country so far, while 969,209 individuals (32% of the population) have been fully vaccinated.
Gabunia noted that the vaccination rate increased among individuals over 60 following the initiative to give pension bonuses to those who get vaccinated before January 1.
The number of vaccinated individuals over the age of 60 has increased from 28% to 44%, while the total number of vaccines administered yesterday exceeded 8,000, which gives hope, Gabunia said.
Vaccination rates in Georgia. Photo: datacov.moh.gov.ge
Gamkrelidze said that the COVID-19 reproductive index, which measures the number of people to whom an infected individual passes on the virus, has dropped below one. However, he added, the number of new daily cases is still ‘high.’
New Medications
Gabunia announced that Georgia received monoclonal antibody medications for COVID-19 patients from Germany, which have already been distributed to the clinics.
However, she asserted that the number of coronavirus-related deaths, which exceeded 80 during the last few days, will fall when infection rates decrease.
Georgia has reported 5,204 new cases of coronavirus, 4,785 recoveries and 83 deaths in the past 24 hours.
European Union now recognises COVID-19 vaccination certificates issued by Georgia. The EU is now also accepting COVID certificates from two other non-EU countries – Moldova and Serbia. A total of 49 countries’ COVID-19 vaccination certificates are now recognised by the EU, of which 22 are non-EU countries.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has announced that pensioners who are vaccinated against COVID-19 before January 1, 2022, will receive 200 GEL (about $63.29 / €54.71) pension bonuses. At a government session held earlier today, Garibashvili said that in order to encourage vaccination among the elderly, pensioners will receive 200 GEL bonuses after their first vaccine doses.
Covid-19 ‘green’ passes will come into force in Georgia starting December 1, obliging the public to present proof of vaccination, testing or recovery from Covid-19 when entering certain establishments.
Georgia has reported 4,732 new cases of coronavirus, 4,912 recoveries and 72 deaths in the past 24 hours.
“Nearly 50,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses daily should be administered in Georgia in order to stop the pandemic”, Head of Infectious Diseases and AIDS Centre Tengiz Tsertsvadze said earlier today.
Georgia has reported 4,318 new cases of coronavirus, 2,457 recoveries and 70 deaths in the last 24 hours. The weekly positivity rate for tested individuals stands at 9%. A total of 52,962 tests have been conducted around the country during the last 24 hours. 32,513 of them were rapid tests, while the remaining 20,449 were PCR tests.
Georgian Deputy Minister of Health Tamar Gabunia has said earlier today that face mask usage in the country amounts to 28%, while flu shots will be free of charge until December 1 and can be administered alongside Covid-19 vaccines.