Vice PM: Work of Healthcare, Business Produced Testing Protocols for Each Industry
"Alongside restriction lifting, we must ensure against intensive virus spread by easing restrictions," First Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Maya Tskitishvili stated at the briefing following today’s meeting of the Interagency Coordination Council at the Government Administration.
According to Tskitishvili, the active work of the Labor Inspection, the Health Ministry, epidemiologists, and the business sector has produced individual testing protocols for each industry, based on epidemiological risks.
“As a result of the active work of the Labor Inspection, the Health Ministry, epidemiologists, and the business sector, individual testing protocols for each industry have been defined based on epidemiological risks. In particular, requirements have been defined for particular numbers of employees and periodical testing. Accordingly, retail outlets of all types with more than 30 employees, including flea markets, are obligated to test at least 20% of their staff every two weeks. In the case of food outlets, this requirement is at least 50% of the staff every two weeks. Naturally, alongside reopening schools, the state will ensure systemic biweekly testing for teachers. Starting today, businesses will be able to register on a special portal to test their personnel free of charge, with state financing, under the intensive testing program, until March 1. This approach will enable businesses to protect their employees and customers, and to help us avoid uncontrollable virus spread in the country in general,” she emphasized.
She noted that the state will continue testing symptomatic patients and systemic groups. Around February 15, the epidemiological situation will be reassessed in light of the lifted restrictions.
“Naturally, we will continue using state financing regularly to test symptomatic patients and systemic groups. As you know, the testing process is quite intensive, and we will continue this approach. Our key task is to strike a balance between the health of our citizens and economic interests. Thus, we are constantly monitoring the epidemiological situation. Around February 15, we will reassess the epidemiological situation in light of the lifted restrictions, and if we see improvement—similar to what we have seen in Adjara with 4% or lower in the course of a week—we will be able to continue the localized strategy for lifting restrictions,” the First Vice Prime Minister stated.