Georgia: Further COVID-19 restrictions to be introduced from November 28 /update 21

Event

The Georgian government has announced further restrictions to address the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to be introduced from Saturday, November 28. The measures will include the extension of curfew measures to the entire country between 22:00 and 05:00 (local time) which restrict vehicular and pedestrian movement. Inter-city transport will also be suspended with only taxi and private vehicle options remaining available. Most shops will also close in addition to restaurants, which will only be permitted to provide takeaway services. Banks, grocery shops, pharmacies, and pet shops will remain open. Hotels will also close so that they can be used for the housing of those infected with the virus. These measures will remain in place until January 31 with temporary easing periods between December 24 and January 3 and January 6 and January 11. 

Face masks remain mandatory in outdoor and indoor public spaces including on public transport. Restaurants and bars are required to close by 22:00.

As of Thursday, November 26, there have been 118,690 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Georgia with 1124 associated fatalities. Further international spread of the virus is to be expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell, or a rash on the skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.