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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response in Georgia

03 May 2020

The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time.

But COVID-19 is much more than a health crisis. In a new report, Shared responsibility, global solidarity: Responding to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, the United Nations Secretary-General calls on everyone to act together to address this impact and lessen the blow to people.

“COVID-19 is the greatest test that we have faced together since the formation of the United Nations,” said António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. “This human crisis demands coordinated, decisive, inclusive and innovative policy action from the world’s leading economies – and maximum financial and technical support for the poorest and most vulnerable people and countries”—UN Secretary-General

To that end, the Secretary-General has established a dedicated COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to support efforts in low- and middle-income countries. Its approach underpins the reformed UN with a coordinated multi-agency, multi-sectoral response for priority national and local actions to address the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 crisis. It will count on the country leadership of Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams in swiftly supporting and enabling governments in this crisis, and recovery. Visit COVID-19 dedicated UN website for information.

Caption: Dr. Ghassan Khalil, UNICEF Representative in Georgia. UNICEF/GEO-2020/L. Blagonravova

UN’s Response in Georgia

Since the first outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations agencies in Georgia have been taking robust steps to ensure the country preparedness and response capabilities.

UN has been providing the national counterparts with guidelines and recommendations that can impact upon health policies and protocols and is currently adapting its entire program in Georgia to assist national efforts to halt the pandemic and help people overcome its social and economic consequences.

The UN system is working closely with the government and other partners to address the immediate challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic by helping procure vital medical and other supplies, providing emergency cash assistance to hundreds of households and individuals, including asylum seekers, refugees and stateless persons as well as fuel and fertilizers for ploughing and sowing.

Working closely with the authorities and development partners, UN through the public awareness campaigns (e.g. "Do Your Part - Stay Safe") is supporting the national response to the pandemic ensuring that all people in Georgia have access to accurate and timely information to protect themselves from the COVID-19 pandemic. The UN agencies have produced over 85,000 leaflets and posters, dozens of videos and other informational materials on COVID-19 prevention for general public as well as for people with disabilities and national minorities.

As Georgia shifted its COVID-19 lockdown, sustaining assistance to vulnerable persons is key to preventing any renewed outbreak of the virus. That’s why the United Nations is launching new initiatives to provide home care support and other services to vulnerable people at high risk of contracting COVID-19 in Tbilisi and the regions – older people living on their own, persons with chronic diseases and special needs.

In addition, the UN agencies work to create new opportunities for young people for them to stay active, to learn new skills, to find new platforms for their development and for enhanced awareness, and find ways of overcoming the challenges stemming from the COVID-19 crisis.

The UN’s work on socio-economic recovery in Georgia is supported by the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund that has allocated USD 1 million to Georgia.

Thus, the battle against COVID-19 is at the top of our work agenda.

The United Nations in Georgia produces weekly situation reports (sitreps) that provides an overview of the country-level COVID-19 cases and deaths, highlighting key data and trends; as well as information on UN and partners’ actions in response to the pandemic.