Government of Georgia does not plan commercialization of coronavirus tests

We expect a large enough batch of coronavirus tests, which will enter the country in 4 stages, Starting today, and these tests will not only be sent to Lugar's laboratory, But also to other research-connected tests of probable patients private laboratories, Minister of Refugees from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Protection of Georgia Catherine Tikaradze reported at a briefing in the Administration of the Government of Georgia. So she answered a question from journalists whether in Georgia a private import of coronavirus tests will be possible and whether private laboratories with these private tests will be able to carry out examination of patients. Based on the fact that the number of tests imported by public procurement is sufficient at this stage, commercialization of coronavirus tests is not appropriate, Tikaradze said. All these days the leaders of the opposition, especially former Deputy Justice Minister of the Government of ex-President Saakashvili, now the leader of the New Georgia party Georgy Vashadze, are actively demanding the private import of cheap tests for coronavirus. He, with the help of opposition-supporting Georgian TV channels, even demonstrated live how an employee of his office made him a coronavirus test, which at Vashadze's initiative was brought to Georgia privately. The opposition demands that the Government of Georgia allow him and other individuals to import cheap tests with the right to further sell them to the population or private laboratories. The Government of Georgia calls such steps unjustified and threatening the health of citizens, as in the context of the coronavirus pandemic there are many poor-quality tests on the market. The use of such questionable tests in the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia is also considered inappropriate. According to the government website