On 16 March, the Georgian Interagency Coordination Council led by the Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia adopted further measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus, reported georgiatoday. The current tally of infected persons in the country is 33.  

Foreign citizens are to be banned from entering Georgia from 18 March. “For the next two weeks, foreign citizens will not be allowed to enter Georgia. Georgian citizens and their family members who wish to return to Georgia may use the air service operated by Georgian Airlines,” said Gakahria’s spokesperson Irakli Chikovani.

Georgia's ski resorts will also be temporarily shut and will no longer serve holidaymakers. Cafes, restaurants and bars were recommended to temporarily restrict direct service to citizens and operate only delivery services. The Council also advised citizens over 70 years avoid going to public places. 

The European Georgia opposition party urged the government to suspend mandatory pension contributions for eight months due to the situation created in the country. “With the temporary suspension the state will spare 133 million Lari which can be spent for healthcare. The entrepreneurs and employers will not have to pay 83 million Lari which will help them to maintain staff, while the employees will have 108 million Lari they will be able to use for covering their expenses,” read the statement. 

Within the last 24 hours, the Georgian  law enforcers found 13 additional cases of violating terms of self-isolation. 

It was also reported that the first and second Georgian patients who were recorded to be infected with the virus had shown full recovery from the disease.