Performance of the Intensive Testing Program within the scope of a 2-Month-Long Plan of COVID Restrictions imposed by the Government of Georgia, registration of beneficiaries for 300 GEL one-off allowances and enforcement of current restrictions were discussed at the Inter-Agency Coordination Council led by Giorgi Gakharia, Prime Minister of Georgia at the Government Administration today.
Focus was made on the uninterrupted implementation of payments under the Citizen and Business Support Package designed by the Government of Georgia. As noted by the Minister of Finance of Georgia at the meeting today, Inland Revenue Service is currently registering individuals for 300 GEL allowances to be paid to people who temporarily lost jobs or customers due to the precision-targeted restrictions imposed from November 28, 2020 resulting in the suspension of business or customer service at the premises of the facility. Ivane Matchavariani noted that over 14 300 applications have already been filed, which were referred to the Ministry of Health and payment of allowances will start in the nearest future. As for the entrepreneurs, who were affected by the restrictions, Inter-Agency Coordination Council urges them to timely complete and upload the applicable form to the website of the Inland Revenue Service by accurately indicating the personal data and bank account details of their employees to make sure that citizens of the country receive the allowances before the New Year's Eve. Registration process will last till December 24, 2020. Adjustments may be filed till December 28, 2020.
It was mentioned at the meeting of the Council today that 2 501 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed test-positive within the last 24 hours, though decline in numbers is explained by the low volume of test referrals during the week-end. Also, positive trend of rising recoveries has been stressed along with the most significant role of medical doctors towards this end. As Amiran Gamkrelidze, Head of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) noted, global recovery indicator is 69%, while Georgia reached 83%, thus being a positive sign.
Council members discussed the increasing number of tests administered throughout the country, which has already exceeded the highest indicator of the last week – 17 000. It is planned to administer about 20 000 tests a day during this week, which will be supplemented by private lab indicators. As already known, antigen-based express tests are particularly expanding in scope and coverage. Citizens experiencing symptoms characteristic of the respiratory virus – cough, fever, sore throat, loss of smell and taste – may approach a healthcare facility both on the grounds of a referral of a medical doctor and without it to have antigen-based test performed. If proven positive, communication with a family doctor should be established, who are searchable through a designated web portal of the Ministry of Health (MOH) at - http://ambulatoria.moh.gov.ge/ or call should be made to a hotline of MOH at 1505.
It was noted at the meeting that pandemic does not retreat globally and overall number of the infected individuals has exceeded 67.5 million people worldwide. That is why, great importance is paid to the effective adherence to COVID restrictions imposed by the Government of Georgia and compliance with all the necessary recommendations, including social distancing and uniform wearing of facemasks.
Steps made by the Specialized Task Force established with the instructions of the Prime Minister of Georgia for the uninterrupted flow of COVID vaccination process in the country have been discussed at the meeting today as well. It was noted that preparatory works launched for the vaccination stage, implying the timely supply, infrastructural and logistic works, are actively progressing. At the same time, apart from the COVAX platform, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and overseas diplomatic missions of Georgia are engaged in the negotiations held with international partners and pharmaceutical companies.
Council also discussed the availability of hospital beds in the healthcare sector of the country, along with measures aimed at mobilizing the additional resources and medical equipment in intensive and critical care units.
Within the scope of restrictions imposed under a 2-Month-Long Plan designed by the Government of Georgia, information on the enforcement was shared to the council members by the Minister of Internal Affairs and Head of Labor Inspection Department. Namely, 855 cases of violations have been detected by law-enforcement bodies within the last 24 hours throughout the country. Police has penalized 70 individuals for the breach of isolation and/or quarantine rules, out of which some violated the mobility ban from 21:00 to 05:00. In addition, 785 individuals were fined for not wearing facemasks within the last 24 hours.
Out of the facilities inspected through a joint effort of the Labor Inspection Department of the Ministry of Health, Inland Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance, National Food Agency of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture and Municipal Surveillance Services, verbal warnings were given to 1 986 facility owners, out of which 3 were penalized. 317 were found compliant with COVID requirements during a follow-up inspection.
Since the detection of the first case of COVID-19, overall number of test-positive cases has reached 164 976, out of which 137 499 have recovered and 1540 died.
At present, 1 267 individuals are in quarantine, 3 744 – at COVID Hotels and 6 963 at hospitals under medical supervision.
Inter-Agency Coordination Council led by the Prime Minister of Georgia actively engages the Parliament of Georgia chaired by MP Archil Talakvadze and Administration of the President of Georgia.
