Fewer than expected get seasonal flu shot in Georgia

Only 95,000 doses of flu vaccine have been administered in Georgia since early October, though the government purchased 200,000 doses and encouraged at-risk groups and their families to receive the vaccine, head of Georgia’s National Centre for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze says. 

The latter stated earlier today that the vaccine will be free of charge for all citizens of Georgia until December 1, noting that everyone over six months of age is eligible to receive the vaccine. 

Gamkrelidze says that flu vaccination is particularly important for at-risk groups, which include medical staff, pregnant women, individuals with diabetes or chronic diseases, the elderly population, school and kindergarten staff. 

He stated that the government will reserve a portion of the vaccine for pregnant women if demand for vaccination increases. 

The public demand for the coronavirus vaccine also remains low despite the surge in daily infections. 

2,107,467 individuals have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine in the country since March 2021, of whom  982,714 have been completely vaccinated.