The regulations governing travel from occupied territories will soon be amended.
Starting April 19, instead of the 5-day quarantine that was previously enforced, citizens from occupied territory will be able to undergo antigen tests. The National Action Plan defines their age groups and allows them to join the vaccination process voluntarily. This decision was taken during yesterday’s meeting of the Interagency Coordination Council. The meeting was presided over by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.
Citizens who have received two doses of vaccination will no longer need to undergo tests before entering territory controlled by the Georgian Central Government.
Ekaterine Tikaradze, Minister of Health, presented yesterday at the Interagency Coordination Council a plan to expand vaccination that was developed by the Ministry in accordance with the instructions of the Prime Minister. This plan will be used to gradually expand the priority groups involved in COVID-19 vaccine.
In light of the recent deterioration in the epidemiological situation, the Council reiterated the importance of adhering to regulations and avoiding the introduction of more restrictive measures. Facemasks and social distancing are of great importance in this context, as is avoiding large gatherings including social events that are prohibited by law.
On the orders of the Heads of Government, the relevant agencies enforce strict control over all regulations that are designed to flatten curves.
Since the first coronavirus cases in Georgia, there have been 291,214 confirmed infections, with 278,683 recovery and 3,901 fatalities.
162 people are currently quarantined, 338 are in clinical hotels and 2,546 are hospitalized with medical supervision.
Four Georgian citizens, residents of the occupied Gali Region, attempted to cross the occupation lines in the vicinity of Shamgona village and Tagiloni, via the River Enguri into territory controlled centrally by the Georgian government in order to avoid illegal detentions set up by the Russian occupation regime. All four drowned in the water. The 5-day quarantine that authorities imposed on citizens of Georgian occupied territories was one of the main factors that forced them to cross.
The movement on the Enguri Bridge has been restricted for over a year. Locals are not allowed to move freely within the area controlled centrally. The de facto Abkhazian government blocked the road as soon as the first Covid-19 case was reported in Georgia.
The Enguri Bridge was only opened five times a years, for a few hours each time. The Abkhaz side opened the way to allow people from the region who were in Georgian-controlled territory, for medical or other reasons, to return home.
Apsnypress reported on January 20, 2021 that the de facto Abkhazian government arrested 3,000 residents in the Gali district from January 20, 2021 to April 1, 2020 for crossing the “border.”
By Ana Dumbadze
Main Image: Enguri Bridge
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