Georgia reports positive coronavirus cases among fully vaccinated persons, traveling rules to change

By Khatia Bzhalava

Tuesday, June 1

As of Monday, Georgia reported 360 coronavirus cases, 1,195 recoveries, and 16 deaths.

As the Head of the National Center for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze noted, depending on the epidemiological situation use of masks might be mandatory only at large gatherings after June.

Head of the National Center for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze announced at a briefing on Monday that cases of coronavirus infection among individuals vaccinated against the coronavirus have been reported in Georgia. According to him, 0.8% of those who were vaccinated once and 0.2-0.3% of those who were vaccinated twice have tested positive for coronavirus. Gamkrelidze stressed that all of them had the disease in a milder form, almost without any need for hospitalization or intensive medical care.

Until now citizens of all countries could enter Georgia if they presented a confirmation of being fully vaccinated at border checkpoints of Georgia. However, at the briefing Gamkrelidze announced that per the new decree, fully vaccinated individuals who want to enter Georgia will now be required to present a negative PCR test from the past 72 hours.

Georgian National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) is currently studying the first suspected case of the South African coronavirus variant. As the head of NCDC noted, the genetic analysis of the virus is underway and the answer will be known shortly.

Yesterday, Georgian Ukrainian and Moldovan PMs have sent a joint letter to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, requesting the EU’s assistance in acquiring coronavirus vaccines. The prime ministers asked the EU to include the Eastern Partnership states in its vaccine sharing mechanism as it will help the countries fill their vaccine stocks promptly. The PMs underlined the EU’s immediate assistance provided to partner countries since the start of the pandemic.

As of Monday, Georgia reported 360 coronavirus cases, 1,195 recoveries, and 16 deaths. The highest number of 200 Covid-19 cases was recorded in the Georgian capital Tbilisi followed by the Adjara region with 43 cases and the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region with 24 cases. The daily rate of new cases stands at 2,95%, while 3,41% in the past 14 days. Georgia has reported a total of 343 963 cases, among them, 327 618 people recovered and 4 773 died. As of May 31, 138 914 people got the coronavirus vaccine.