Head of Georgia’s National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Amiran Gamkrelidze says that the country will receive special PCR tests to detect a new variant of coronavirus called Omicron. 

However, Gamkrelidze says that the variant is completely identified only through a study of the virus’s genome which is available at Lugar lab. 

He stated that partner states will send the PCR tests to Georgia in the near future which detect the new variant. 

The Omicron variant has been classified as a ‘variant of concern’ by the World Health Organisation with multiple mutations. 

It was first detected in South Africa in November. According to preliminary observations, the symptoms of the variant are mild.

However, it has not been studied so far how the strain may affect vulnerable groups.