NEWS

Coronavirus in Georgia: 2021 Summary

BY ANA DUMBADZE

Like many countries worldwide, for Georgia’s healthcare sector and economy, 2021 was full of challenges and uncertainties, mostly due to the spread of coronavirus and gradual appearance of new strains.

The country met the beginning of 2021 with Covid-related restrictions: public transport halted, schools, universities, kindergartens and ski resorts closed, a curfew in force from 9 PM till 5 AM, and then unpleasant news – the appearance of the so-called “British” Covid-19 strain.

The new Covid-19 variant was little different from the others in terms of severity or lethality, but it did have increased transmission.

Georgians protested the related restrictions several times- citizens, business representatives, and political party members took to the streets demanding the regulations be eased for the sake of the economy, which had been severely affected by travel bans and various restrictions in the operation of services.

Mid-February, certain restrictions were lifted, with schools resuming in-person learning, and restaurants being allowed to resume outdoor service.

On February 17, Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, the favourite “crisis manager” of the ruling party Georgian Dream and its founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, who was by then well-known for his strict approach to Covid restrictions, resigned. He was replaced by Irakli Garibashvili, who started development of a more “liberal” approach towards businesses that had suffered signifi cant damage during the several months of restrictions.

Within a week of Garibashvili’s appointment, the Georgian government lifted almost all remaining coronavirus-related restrictions except the curfew. At the time, Georgia was recording up to 400 new coronavirus cases daily on average.

The country started an active vaccination campaign in March, with the fi rst batch of 43,200 doses of AstraZeneca/ Oxford vaccine received on March 13. Later, the country also received 29,250 doses of the Pfi zer/BioNTech vaccine. On March 30, Pfi zer vaccination also kicked off. Georgia’s vaccination plan envisaged immunizing 1.7 million citizens, or approximately 60% of the population aged 18 and over, by the end of 2021.

However, Georgia’s citizens showed far less interest and trust in the vaccines than health offi cials expected. Despite constant calls from doctors and authorities to get vaccinated, the vaccination rate in Georgia remains low even in December. To date, just 39.4% of the adult population is fully vaccinated.

The Government of Georgia reopened land and sea borders on June 1, 2021, and on June 30, lifted the nationwide curfew which had been in force since November 28, 2020, to curb the spread of the virus.

The summer turned out to be particularly diffi cult in terms of virus spread, seeing Georgia become a “red zone” country, with the virus spreading rapidly.

The US gift of half a million Pfi zerBioNTech Covid-19 shots arrived in the country on July 23. Vaccination with the fi rst dose of the Pfi zer jab begun on July 26. At the time, more than 80% of the coronavirus cases in Georgia were of the Delta strain.

In the same period, given the particularly diffi cult situation, the government decided to restore compulsory face mask wearing outdoors.

The Georgian government imposed some restrictions between August 14 and September 4 to curb the spread of coronavirus, including the suspension of public transport, which was then extended until September 13. When public transport resumed, the government kicked off a lottery with cash prizes for vaccinated citizens to boost interest in Covid19 vaccination. This project had little effect on the vaccination rate. 200 GEL one-off gifts were then offered to over 60s for getting their fi rst jabs. At the end of December, the initiative was extended to include over 50s.

Due to the high numbers of the coronavirus cases detected on a daily basis (up to 5000 cases and 80 deaths), after the summer holidays, schools, higher and vocational educational institutions, and kindergartens were allowed to resume in-person learning only on October 4. Until then, the institutions worked through online distance learning from September 15. Parents were thereafter given the freedom to register their kids for online learning or in-person attendance, with Thursdays open to register or unregister a child. Teachers were (and are still) forced to divide their time between the classroom and online classes.

Despite the deteriorated epidemiological situation, the elections were held in Georgia on October 30 with the observance of safety norms.

On November 8, the Board of Experts greenlit Covid-19 booster shots for those aged 16 and over, where only over-50s and risk-groups had been eligible before. Citizens can book their booster jabs fi ve months after their second dose.

On December 1, the concept of ‘Green Passports’ was introduced in Georgia. As such, citizens are now able to enter many facilities only if they are carrying physical or digital green passports. “Green” status is granted to those fully vaccinated, those who have passed a 72-hour-validity PCR or 24-hour-validity antigen test, and those who have recovered from coronavirus. Green Passports are required of all citizens over 18.

Also from December 1, restaurants had their hourly restrictions lifted, and the number of spectators allowed in cinemas, theaters, and operas was increased from 30 to 50%.

On December 20, the fi rst two cases of the new Omicron strain were detected in Georgia. Within a week, that number had grown to 51.

“The Omicron strain of coronavirus has already been detected in 110 countries, and because of the rate at which it spreads, it could have a signifi cant impact on health systems, even if it poses less danger than the Delta variant, and lead to signifi cant morbidity,” a WHO report noted.

The number of Omicron cases in Georgia is expected to rise over and following the New Year holidays, and experts warn the number of coronavirus jabs and booster doses should also increase to avoid further deterioration of the epidemiological situation.

The idea of double-jabbed citizens being required to get a booster shot is being considered by the government’s Coordination Council, as is the idea of the time gap between last jab and booster shot being reduced.

The current epidemiological situation in Georgia is as follows: As of December 28, Georgia’s total case tally since the fi rst case in February 2020 reached 928,030. Among them, 888,022 people recovered and 13,646 died.

The daily test-positivity rate now stands at 6.26 %, while it was 5.74 % in the past 14 days.

As of December 28, 2,481.500 people had received the Covid-19 vaccine, at around 13,377 recipients per day.

Ahead of the New Year celebrations, doctors urge citizens to observe coronavirus recommendations more carefully.

The Success of Sairme and Evex Hospitals in the European Spas Association Award

Sairme Resort and Evex Hospitals’ Covid Rehabilitation Program has won the prestigious European ESPA Innovation Award. The main goal of the competition was to identify hotels operating in the medical and healthcare directions that have developed new, distinctive and effective approaches to improving quality of life following infection by the new Coronavirus. Maia Sanikidze, head of Sairme's medical department, stated that the key to the success of their program is its unique, complex approach which combines the clinical and balneological directions.

Sairme is the fi rst Georgian brand to become a member of the European Spas Association. The fact that such an award could be won lead to their decision to present a project implemented in cooperation with Evex Hospitals. This approach proved to be a success - the joint program of the Georgian resort and medical center won the nomination of "Innovative Medical Spa" among 100 spas from 20 European countries.

“I would like to welcome Sairme as a new member of the European Spas Association network,” said Csilla Mezosi, Secretary General of the European Spas Association. “There, along with mineral and thermal waters, the nature is also distinguished. We live in the Covid era, and Sairme and Evex Hospitals rightly won the Innovative Medical Spa nomination unanimously. In their joint program, the combination of the clinical and balneological sectors was vital to treating post-Covid complications. I would like to congratulate them once again on this important award.”

It all started a few months ago when Sairme and Evex Hospitals, based on the knowledge gained during pandemic management, decided to develop a rehabilitation package for post-Covid complications. A joint program was developed that provides treatment, diagnostic and recovery procedures.

Within the frames of the program, a primary health examination is conducted at the Caucasus Medical Center, following which, Sairme Resort provides medical-healing procedures, including underwater massages, mineral water baths, inhalation with mineral water, halotherapy, as well as active and passive climatotherapy.

According to Maia Sanikidze, head of

the Sairme clinical department, the award and becoming a member of the European Spas Association is very important for them.

“This year, Sairme Resort became the fi rst and so far the only resort in Georgia to become a member of the “ESPA Spas Association”. Being a member of an association of this rank allows our resort to share European experience and to align with European standards in the development and implementation of balneological services. This is important not only for Sairme, but also for the development of the balneological sector countrywide.

“We are being given a unique opportunity to make Georgia known to European tourists, not only as a provider of gastronomic and adventure tourism, but also as a major resource provider of medical tourism. As for the program itself, such a complex approach is in fact a new word in the management of the post-Covid situation,” she noted.

The team of Caucasus Medical Center is also proud to have received such an important award. "This award will help the development of medical tourism in Georgia,” said Marika Toidze, head of the treatment and diagnostic hub at Caucasus Medical Center. “Up to 100 spas from 20 European states took part in the competition. I'm sure they will offer programs for treating further post-Covid complications. Among competitors there were very famous medical resorts. Against this background, it was highlighted that the highest level of medical services and spa treatments are available in Georgia.”

Sairme Resort and Evex Hospitals will continue their post-Covid rehabilitation program and are planning to implement new joint projects in the clinical and balneological sectors next year.

Invest Hub 2022: “Your Way to Invest in Georgia”

Continued from page 1

The CEO of Sweftland Group, Mahmoud Sami, spoke with GEORGIA TODAY prior to the event, outlining his expectations and describing the vast increase in demand by investors.

“Talking in numbers, Swefl and Group is expecting to recruit more than $224,000,000 in Georgia. By visibility studies and the calculations of our investment department, we are inviting more than 25 top-level investors who are interested in increasing their investment wallet in Georgia,” he said in an interview with us on December 23.

The investment conference “Invest Hub 2022”, held at the Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace, welcomed almost 100 attendees from around the world. After brief introductions by some of the hosts, the fi rst speaker was Zhao Yinong, the Chief of the WTF in China. The Chinese investment model in Georgia, with an emphasis on trade and the Belt & Road Initiative, are what lie at the heart of his East-West investor vision. China has already invested billions in infrastructure and trade projects in Georgia, a testament to the lucrative opportunities in the nation.

Following his presentation, Ilia Tamarashvili, head of Rural Development Agency, spoke at length about the potential of agricultural investment opportunities. With Georgia’s vast and fertile farmland space, the opportunity for both direct agriculture investment as well as farm equipment programs gives those interested in non-urban development plans much to consider. The coinvestment, with assurances from government programs in technology, particularly dairy modernization initiatives, also open the way for more Rural Development Programs through the United Nations Development Program. In addition, this expands into further non-agricultural entrepreneurship development programs for small municipalities and towns.

The Deputy Minister of Justice, Akaki Saghirashvili, covered many of the legal considerations investors were assured were keen to learn about investing in Georgia. From the freedom of economy and the Free Trade Agreements Georgia has with both the EU and China, to the simple ease of administration services online, he outlined that getting started in Georgia was very easy. Through advancements in the corporate law structure in the country, a focus has been put on protection of investors, a key topic for the attendees. Harkening back to the subject of land and rural development, the registration of public and private land has been an ongoing campaign for his offi ce, one he now says is a success story, bringing more land development opportunities to those interested.

Hynek Cech, one of the founders of the REGI Base Foundation, introduced his veterans’ charity fund and plans for a special treatment facility in Tbilisi. REGI Base, a nonprofi t organization based in Prague, Czech Republic, provides vital medical and rehabilitation services to many of NATO’s military service members wounded on operations abroad.

In connection with Georgia’s central location to Europe, the Middle East, and parts of North Africa, REGI Base intends to open a facility adjacent to the airport in Tbilisi. This facility, shown in Cech’s presentation in impressive detail, offers both a care center as well as aircraft parking facilities for special medical fl ights carrying the wounded warriors out of harm's way. In addition to the center, a special visa status for the facility is planned, allowing faster and easier transportation of both the wounded soldiers and their loved ones. Alongside robotic technology for rehabilitation of the patients, Czech medical staff will further make this hospital the fi rst of its kind in the region.

Closing this presentation, Swefl and Group and REGI Base gathered around to sign a memorandum of understanding which outlines the bilateral goals of each organization and a plan to work together to accomplish the investment backing and a completed facility.

With this, Swefl and Group representatives took to the stage to outline their housing development plans in Georgia. Being one of the largest developers in the region, their insight into both urban and rural planning showed a keen understanding of how to attract foreign interest.

Their rural development plans involved new housing plots complete with selfsustainment measures. These measures ranged from the extensive use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, to clean building materials and waste management practices. Moving into the urban centers, these practices are mirrored, showing new urban housing plans for luxury apartments with modern and clean amenities.

Another project of Swefl and Group is their unique radio station. Mtsvane Kalaki, or Green City, Radio is set to be launched in the coming year, delivering traditional programming such as music and talk shows, with an aim at bringing “green” or renewable ideology to the public attention.

Yet another set of ventures of the group is the Tourzilla tourism company and the FC Gardabani sports program. Tourzilla is structured to be a full-service tourism service, bringing tours for both private and corporate clients, travel advice and planning, hotel and car bookings, as well as complete start-to-fi nish travel bookings. FC Gardabani is a largescale youth sports and wellness program aimed at keeping Georgian youth active and healthy through various intramural athletic activities.

The event’s VIP, Mr. Hussein Al-Shahrani, followed these with his experiences and outlook from his time investing in projects in Georgia. He shared his insight from starting out to growing his portfolio and wallet size in the nation, as well as his outlook for 2022. His exact views cannot shared in this piece as he spoke only in his native language, Arabic.

Following this, Mikheil Tarakhchev shared the benefi ts already in place and projects already underway that would ease any apprehension in the investor’s minds. Tarakhchev’s organization, the Cross-Cultural Communication Center, is the link between foreign investors and local business and government representatives. His description of the current infrastructure projects is such that they are a sign of a healthy investment environment, as well as the current Free Trade Agreements with both the EU and China. Free Investment Zones and Free Trade Zones act as further enticing incentives for the prospective investors, particularly in the energy and real estate sectors. Alongside these, he characterized the taxation situation in the country as “low, effi cient, and fair” and the existing labor force as “young” and “skilled.”

Closing out, Swefl and Group representatives again took to outlining an additional project they aim to launch. The so-called “Hollywood Resort” project is a multi-purpose development project that contains multiple facets of all the aforementioned presentations. Combining rural upscale housing, sports, commerce, and arts components, the resort is designed to not only offer amazing lodging but also jobs and green environment initiatives outside of the major city centers.

The project is located at an approximately 30-minute drive from the capital and stands to bring millions in investment dollars, over 1800 jobs, and community services for new and existing local residents. A hotel with over 100 rooms on a 50,000 square meter structure is planned to complement this, along with special amenities for prospective fi lm companies looking to bring their projects to Georgia.

Closing the event, Swefl and Group and Oplus Ecosystems, the company behind the marketing to international customers, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to complete this project together. Combining the real estate development with the investor attraction model, they begin their relationship towards a new endeavor in Georgia.

With the presentations concluded, the attendees were left to network and mingle, eager to converse about their businesses. The investment pitches surely left their mark, with such fantastic imagery and 3D rendered images of what is to be, something Georgia’s leadership, many of whom were in attendance, will be eager to engage in when assessing and accepting new investment activity. Georgia will need these foreign activities to grow at the rate they so dearly desire and, coupled with the prospect of integration into NATO and the EU, this only stands to catapult the country and her citizens ahead of other regional neighbors.