COVID Concerns

At Wednesday's meeting of the Interagency Coordination Council, Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia was asked if the government is considering postponing the date of school-reopening or the elections. He answered that the country is not faced with conditions so worrying that either event needs postponing.

"As of today, there are no conditions for postponing studies or for children not to start the studying process in classrooms from September 15. The situation does not call for it today, just as there is no basis for changing the election date,” said the Prime Minister.

Due to high epidemiological risk, Mestia, Ushguli, and the village of Lenjeri were put on lockdown on August 10, Svaneti being the epicenter of numerous new COVID cases in Georgia. Those leaving the area must now undertake a 14-day quarantine.

4,000 people were to be tested for COVID-19 in the Municipality of Mestia this week, according to Amiran Gamkrelidze, Director General of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC). Dependent on the test results, a short-term action plan will be established, determining how strict the restrictions will be for the population. Concerns were also raised about Kazbegi when 7 border guards at the Larsi checkpoint at the Russia-Georgia border tested positive for the coronavirus.

"There is no risk,” the PM answered. “Today in Kazbegi, and at the Larsi checkpoint, the epidemiological situation is fully under control. Therefore, no one is going to impose any restrictions in Kazbegi.”

As of Wednesday, 54,205 truck drivers of international shipments had been tested, of which 788 tested positive for the virus.

All truck drivers are tested for the coronavirus at the border, and in case of a 'positive' answer, they are not allowed to enter the country.

"We recognize that these are areas that we need to control with great care and caution," the PM emphasized.

By Ana Dumbadze