Health authorities in Georgia have approved a move reducing the mandatory Covid-19 self-isolation and quarantine periods to five days for patients employed in certain fields.
The decision, applied retroactively, concerns those working in medical and educational institutions; agencies of interior, justice and defence ministries; the State Security Service; the Prosecutor's Office; and the Revenue Service and Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance.
In the event of staff shortages and at employer’s request, for asymptomatic Covid-19 patients employed in the above-mentioned institutions, the self-isolation will be considered completed by day six after testing positive. A negative test result will be required to complete the isolation period, with authorities strongly recommending use of face masks for the subsequent five days.
For moderate and severe current cases, the isolation period will remain at the same requirement of at least 10 days after testing positive. The decision to complete the isolation is made by the patient's family doctor based on the patient's health status.
Quarantine periods have also been reduced for the partially vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, and those identified as contacts of patients with confirmed cases. In these cases, the quarantine period will be set at five, instead of eight, days. These patients will be strongly advised to wear face masks over the next 6-12 days.
The same applies to those without a booster dose of a Covid-19 vaccine in cases where over 90 days have passed since their second jab. These quarantine rules also apply to people with prior Covid case dating back to more than 60 days ago.
Several countries have reduced the self-isolation period, with regulations in England outlining five days as the defined timespan, and authorities in the United States recommending a rapid antigen test at the end of day five of isolation for patients, with a negative result allowing an immediate end to self-isolation.
A total of 1,398,059 cases of the coronavirus have been registered in Georgia since February 26, 2020.