Schools to follow COVID regulations despite govt eases other restrictions

The Education Ministry of Georgia has announced on Tuesday, February 22, that COVID-19 related restrictions will remain in force in all schools throughout Georgia despite the administration’s decision to scrap the majority of limitations.

Moreover, regulations such as temperature screening, disinfection, mandatory outdoor face masks, use of disinfection barriers, and COVID-19 testing of administrative staff and teachers are still applied at schools, vocational institutions and higher education institutions.

At present, fully vaccinated teachers are tested once in 2 weeks with PCR tests, while those who are unvaccinated or have received only a single dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 are tested once a week with rapid tests. 

However, schools throughout the country offer both in-person and online education, giving parents and students the option to choose any format.

The education ministry further stated that the schools in the nation were fully provided with disinfectant solutions, outdoor facemasks, temperature screening devices and disinfection barriers through the school year, adding the state body continued to monitor the facilities in all parts of Georgia.

As per Georgian Health Authorities, the country has registered a total of 12,101 new Covid-19 cases with 14,764 recoveries and 45 deaths in the last 24 hours, with a weekly positivity rate standing at 28.55%. The new Omicron variant of coronavirus accounts for approximately 85 per cent of confirmed Covid-19 cases. 

Furthermore, the Georgian government have also decided to ease up the COVID-19 related limitations on public events and gatherings from March onwards, including club venues being allowed to operate at reduced capacity, to weddings, conferences and other gatherings permitted. This move was revealed on Monday by the Interagency Coordination Council, which oversees pandemic-related rules and regulations in Georgia.

The National Centre for Disease Control of Georgia also Announced on Tuesday that Georgia will receive up to 50,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for Covid-19, designated for children aged between five to twelve years, in the 2nd quarter of the year to curb the COVID-19.