Which Restrictions will be Eased & Which will Stay in Force for the New Year

Based on the decision of the Interagency Coordination on Council, the easing of COVID restrictions will not be full-scale from December 24 to January 2.

The Coordination Council has decided to partially ease the COVID restrictions from December 24 through January 2:

1.     Restriction on mobility via municipal transport remains valid in Tbilisi, Rustavi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Gori, Zugdidi, Poti and Telavi;

2.     Restriction on intercity passenger transportation remains valid nationwide, while personal vehicles are permitted as before;

3.     Markets and fairs will not be re-opening. Fruit and vegetable markets will remain operational with full compliance with the safety rules;

4.     Retail trade will be re-opening in the above-listed cities from December 24 through January 2 in full compliance with the safety rules;

5.     Moreover, additional regulations, which will be subject to preliminary consultations, have been considered to be as follows:

o   Retailers will operate from 07:00 to 19:00;

o   Customers should be admitted to retailer premises under a strict management of flow, whereby:

o   No more than 1 customer should be admitted per 20 m2 in the retailer premises;

o   Queue management should apply both in external and internal premises of retail shops;

o   Discounts should be announced predominantly for shopping in morning hours and/or online sales;

o   Dressing Rooms will remain closed at retail shops trading with clothes;

o   At the same time and for the protection of customer rights, commodity return or exchange policy  should be permitted during the month and should occur only after February 1;

o   Eateries at shopping malls will be placed under a ban and neither take-away service will be permitted;

o   Queues in any space and outside a retail shop should practice social distancing and uniform wearing of face masks;

o   Responsibility on the aforementioned shall rest with the administrations of retail shops;

o   If and when any violation of the rules is identified, every measure promulgated in the law will apply including penalties and suspension of operation.

6.     At this point, apart from skiing resorts, every hotel and restaurant within them were permitted to operate only to deliver services to guests. Organization of cultural and other types of entertainment events is prohibited within them;

7.    The government claims that unfortunately, most hotels are trying to bypass these requirements and are planning festive evening parties;

8.     Hence, the decision has been taken to let restaurants within hotels operate only until 21:00, while only room service will be permitted from 21:00;

9.     Restaurants and eateries will remain operational only for take-away service throughout the country;

10.                        Restriction on mobility remains valid from 21:00 to 05:00 throughout the country both for walking and driving;

11.                        Exception will be made for the New Year’s Eve on December 31 and Christmas night on January 6;

Despite these exceptions, the government is urging citizens to celebrate the holidays along with only their family members and avoid mass gatherings as much as possible.

By Ana Dumbadze