New COVID-19 restrictions coming into force on November 28, 2020

1. Introduction

Georgian Government has ruled new COVID-19 restrictions coming into force on November 28, 2020 and apply until January 31, 2021.

The movement of persons throughout the country from 21:00 to 05:00 is prohibited, both on foot and by transport, as well as being in public space. Exception will be made on the New Year’s and Orthodox Christmas days – respectively December 31, 2020 and January 6, 2021.

2. Public Services

The following public services are stopped:

• Transportation of passengers by rail, except for official railway traffic, within the framework of which, for the purpose of uninterrupted cargo transportation, the staff is moved / transferred from the place of residence to the place of work and vice versa in accordance with the operational headquarters;
• Regular transport of intercity passengers by vehicles of M2 (so-called minibus) and M3 (so-called bus) categories;
• Functioning of public transport in Tbilisi Municipality and in the administrative borders of Batumi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Gori, Zugdidi, Poti, Telavi municipalities, including the functioning of the metro in Tbilisi municipality as well.

Restriction does not apply to light vehicles (including taxis);

3. Regulation of economic activity

All economic activities are allowed, except:

• Operation of ski slopes and ski lifts;
• Organizing / conducting activities of entertainment establishments and entertainment events;
• The provision of early upbringing and education services and / or the provision of pre-school and education services and / or the implementation of a school readiness program;
• Sports / gymnasiums, saunas and other spa procedures, as well as swimming pool activities.

Also, the Government has ruled to introduce the following restrictions in large cities and within their administrative boundaries: Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Gori, Poti, Zugdidi and Telavi, as well as at skiing resorts of Bakuriani, Gudauri, Goderdzi and Mestia:

In the following cities: Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Gori, Zugdidi, Poti, Telavi, Bakuriani, Borjomi Municipality, Kazbegi village, Gudauri village, Khulo municipality, Goderdzi resort and Mestia municipality, the sale of any goods / products, both retail and wholesale, is carried out remotely, without access to the user’s sales space.

This restriction does not apply to:

• Sale of food / animal feed, animal, animal and plant products, household chemicals and hygiene, veterinary preparations, pesticides and agrochemicals, seed and planting materials;
• Supply of electricity, electricity, natural gas, water, gasoline, diesel, liquefied gas;
• Sale of medical goods, pharmaceutical products;
• Press booths.

Food Facilities

The operation of food facilities / restaurants / bars / cafes is allowed only with delivery service and product delivery (so-called “Take Away” and “Drive”). It is permissible to operate restaurants / bars / cafes, gyms and swimming pools in hotels and similar accommodation only to serve guests of the hotel and similar accommodation.

Markets / Fairs

In the following cities: Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Gori, Zugdidi, Poti, Telavi, Bakuriani, Borjomi Municipality, Kazbegi village, Gudauri village, Khulo municipality, Goderdzi resort and Mestia municipality, open and closed markets / fairs are allowed only remotely. This restriction does not apply to the activities of agrarian markets / fairs.

Hotel Services

The activities of the hotels in Bakuriani, Borjomi Municipality, Gudauri village of Kazbegi Municipality, Goderdzi resort in Khulo Municipality and Mestia Municipality in Mestia are allowed only for the arrangement of quarantine spaces. It is permissible to operate restaurants / bars / cafes, gyms and swimming pools in hotels and similar accommodation only to serve guests of the hotel and similar accommodation;

4. Public Institutions

Public institutions should provide remote delivery of services to persons, except for those services, the remote delivery of which is impossible or related to an urgent need. Public institutions should ensure the remote transfer of employees, unless it is necessary to be physically present / announced in the service of a specific position / official.

5. Cultural and sports events

• It is not allowed for the spectator to attend any type of cultural event.
• It is allowed to hold a sports event without spectators under the auspices of the relevant international and / or national sports federation.
• Activities of sports, artistic and cultural circles / studios are prohibited.

6. Regulation of the educational process

Schools, vocational training centers and higher education institutions (except for health and medicine education programs) will be transformed entirely into a distance learning.

• Should be suspended the implementation of early upbringing and education services and / or the provision of preschool and education services and / or school readiness programs. Other educational institutions should carry out the training process in accordance with the order of the Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia on “Approval of Recommendations to Prevent the Spread of New Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Workplace”.
• The educational process in educational institutions may be carried out only as a result of inspections carried out at the workplaces of Georgia directly by the Department of Labor Inspection of the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia. Based on the positive conclusion issued on the implementation of the recommendations of the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs.
• The higher education institution is authorized to provide practical / laboratory / clinical work and examinations non-remotely (physically). In accordance with the order of the Minister of Defense.
• In the following cities Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Gori, Zugdidi, Poti, general education, vocational, special vocational and higher education institutions in Telavi can carry out educational activities only using various forms of distance learning / communication.
• The activities of vocational education institutions and special vocational education institutions are permitted. Based on the positive conclusion issued on the implementation of the recommendations of the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia.
• The educational institution is obliged to carry out activities in electronic form, remotely, through the administration of collegial bodies In accordance with the rules established by the legislation of Georgia for production (determination of quorum for decision making, voting, production of protocol, etc.).
• An educational institution is obliged to transfer all persons employed in educational institutions to a remote mode of work, unless the presence / announcement of a specific position / official on the territory of an educational institution is related to the specifics of this position / position. These individuals carry out activities in accordance with the order of the Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia on “Approval of Recommendations to Prevent the Spread of New Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Workplace”.
• Training, conference, seminar is allowed only remotely. This restriction does not apply to seafarers ‘training centers recognized by the LEPL – Maritime Transport Agency of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia and to the mandatory exercises to be conducted by them on the basis of the Law of Georgia on Seafarers’ Education and Certification.

7. Conclusion

COVID restrictions do not apply to the following in the entire period:

• All other economic activities, including the following:

1. Public and private construction and repair works;
2. Banking and financial intermediation;
3. Groceries, pet/animal food stores, pharmacies, veterinarian drug stores, household chemistry and hygiene stores, printed media kiosks;
4. So called delivery and take-away services;
5. Beauty parlours, barber shops and aesthetic medicine centres;
6. Vehicle repair and technical inspection services;
7. Repair services of household appliances;
8. Fruit and vegetable markets;
9. And others.

• Mobility with light vehicles (including taxes) will not be restricted.

In addition, it is worth noting that COVID restrictions will be eased nation-wide from December 24, 2020 through January 2, 2021 and namely and only shopping malls, open and closed fairs and markets will be permitted to operate.