Head of Georgia’s National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Amiran Gamkrelidze says that the epidemiological situation in Georgia is getting worse and he supports the reimposition of coronavirus restrictions. 

He said earlier today that despite more than 46,000 active cases, the hospitalisation rate stands at 12%, relatively low compared to previous waves of the virus, noting that the low figure is thanks to vaccination and that 42 percent of the country’s population have already recovered from the virus. 

“Currently there is no need to open field hospitals,”Gamkrelidze said. 

Gamkrelidze stated that NCDC will present its recommendations in the coming days on what the government should do to prevent the further spread of the virus. 

Georgia reported 5,219 new cases of coronavirus and 42 deaths in the past 24 hours.

As of now more than 31 percent of the country’s adult population have been completely vaccinated. 

Gamkrelidze admitted that a lottery proposed for vaccinated individuals by the government to encourage vaccination has failed to work effectively. 

Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia says that 65 percent of Georgian teachers have been vaccinated, while the figure must increase to at least 80 percent to curb the spread of the virus in educational institutions. 

1,926,893 have received the coronavirus vaccine in the country since March 2021 of which  910,782 have been fully vaccinated. 

Georgians above 16 are eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine. 

Pfizer, Sinovac, Sinopharm and AstraZeneca vaccines are available in the country.