Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili argued today that vaccines were not – “in many cases” – effective against preventing the Omicron strain, in an attempt to justify his government’s recent controversial decision canceling the COVID green pass system some two months after its introduction.
“At first, our task was to promote vaccination as it was a different thing with Delta strain and other variants. But in the case of Omicron, in very many cases, the vaccine does not work,” claimed the Prime Minister, adding: “that is, a vaccinated person gets infected like any other. My case is yet another example of that.”
Noting that he caught Omicron despite having recovered from another strain last year and two jabs of Pfizer vaccine, he maintained that the Omicron “is present in very mild forms in the vast majority of cases.”
Thus the Government changed its approach because “it no longer made sense to use this green pass,” PM Garibashvili stated.
The Prime Minister, nevertheless, argued for ramping up the vaccination campaign in regions and for those above 50.
According to him, the Government’s objective is to vaccinate people over the age of 50, the elderly, and those with chronic diseases, to prevent complications and “just in case, for the purposes of self-assurance and prevention.”
“The rest is under complete control,” noted the Prime Minister.
Irakli Garibashvili also stressed the need of learning to “coexist with the pandemic” in order to further boost the economy and improve on a 10.6% economic growth rate in 2021.
Mixed Reactions
The Prime Minister’s remarks drew criticism from opposition politicians.
“Garibashvili still made no statement to support Ukraine. But he made a very dangerous anti-vax statement,” United National Movement MP Khatia Dekanoidze wrote on Facebook.
“Any statement of this kind endangers the process needed to manage COVID,” remarked Gigi Tsereteli of the European Georgia party.
Health Minister Zurab Azarashvili came in defense of the Prime Minister: “Of course, the Prime Minister is not an anti-vaxxer, and that is impossible since he had taken two jabs and was actively involved in the vaccination campaign.”
Head of Government Stratcom Nino Giorgobiani, on her part, slammed “groundless speculations” surrounding PM Garibashvili’s remarks.
“This statement was made in the context of canceling green pass… The vaccine offers no guarantee that one will not catch Omicron, [thus] the green pass lost its meaning.”
Booster Vaccines Effective, Health Professionals Say
Earlier in January, the Head of NCDC Georgia, Amiran Gamkrelidze stressed receiving booster doses was the main recommendation amid the Omicron surge.
More booster doses administered would mean fewer new cases and less severity of these cases, Gamkrelidze noted.
The Head of NCDC also cautioned against overconfidence towards “milder” Omicron, arguing the strain will leave an imprint. “Therefore, triple vaccination will seriously protect us against Omicron.”
As of February 14 morning, some 196,064 persons among Georgia’s 3,7 million population have received booster doses. A total of 1,343,310 persons have received one shot of the vaccine, among them 1,233,566 are fully vaxxed with two doses.
Georgia’s rate of vaccination fell short of the authorities’ goal to have 60% of the grown-up population (about 1,7 mln.) jabbed by the end of 2021.
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