Quarantine regime has been activated in Georgia starting today. Stricter measures imposed by the Georgian government due to COVID-19, have been enforced since 08:00 this morning.

The universal quarantine regime was introduced as part of the tighter measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus at the decision of an inter-agency Coordination Council established at the order of Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia to curb spread of the virus in the country.

According to Prime Minister, the quarantine means the following: Citizens will be required to observe curfew from 21:00 to 06:00 from March 31.

• It is completely forbidden to travel using any type of public transport (including the subway), both within and between cities and municipalities.
• It is only permissible to travel using light vehicles (including taxis), and only if the recommendation of the Ministry of Healthcare has been taken into consideration, i.e., if there are no more than three persons in an automobile, with the essential condition that the two persons are seated in the rear seat. This is a very important recommendation and relevant state bodies will make the appropriate decisions in case of noncompliance.
• Also, it is only permissible to carry passengers for the purpose of transporting employees of facilities of strategic importance in an organized and safe manner.
• Gathering of more than 3 persons is forbidden, with the exception of grocery stores and pharmacies, where maintaining a social distance of two meters is mandatory.
• Furthermore, rules governing the operation of enterprises that are permitted by the government will be set out separately; they will have separate protocols that will be agreed with the Ministry of Healthcare. We are doing this so that the economy can continue to function and to ensure that the potential that the Georgian economy possesses is not brought to a standstill, as well as, of course, to ensure that our citizens can retain their jobs as much as possible.
• Our citizens above 70 years of age will be forbidden from leaving their homes, unless they are going to their nearest grocery store, their nearest pharmacy, or their nearest medical facility.
• If our citizens above 70 years of age live alone, the Ministry of Healthcare and the Ministry of Economy, as well as local municipalities, are obligated to provide them with assistance.
• Most importantly: Effectively, a full quarantine will be declared for the duration of the state of emergency. It will be forbidden to move on foot or using any other mode of transportation in the cities and throughout the entire country between the hours of 21:00 and 06:00. Effectively – and I would like to emphasize this once again – effectively, this means that a so-called curfew is being declared throughout the entire country between the hours of 21:00 and 06:00.
• Checkpoints will be set up in the cities of Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Poti, Zugdidi, and Gori in order to control the movement of individuals, to check their health status, and to ensure the fulfillment of the tightened measures under the state of emergency, as well as to provide initial thermal screening and to control the administrative borders of these cities. These measures will be carried out by the forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, with the involvement of the relevant agencies of the Ministry of Defense.
• Every citizen must carry their identity documents while moving within the city at any time” – Prime Minister said.

Georgia declared the state of emergency starting March 21 till April 21. On March 23, quarantine was announced in Marneuli and Bolnisi municipalities.

Hotline number will be activated – 144 to answer any questions of citizens. Fines will be imposed for those who violate the quarantine rules.