Georgia receives first batch of COVID-19 vaccines purchased from China

TBILISI -- Georgia on Saturday received the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines purchased from China as the country's latest endeavor to curb the spread of the pandemic.

The newly-arrived vaccines manufactured by China's Sinopharm Group are the third type of vaccine Georgia has introduced in the country so far.

"This vaccine is currently used by dozens of countries," Georgian Deputy Health Minister Tamar Gabunia told local media on Saturday.

She noted that relevant studies conducted on the vaccine have indicated positive results.

Georgia on March 15 launched a nationwide inoculation campaign against COVID-19 after getting its first vaccine batch from COVAX.

According to the government's plan, people working in the health sector will be eligible to get vaccinated first.

Georgia plans to vaccinate at least 60 percent of the country's population by the end of 2021.

The country on Saturday registered 580 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, bringing its total to 283,369, according to Georgia's National Center for Disease Control.