Director of the Tbilisi infectious diseases hospital Tengiz Tsertsvadze, who coordinates the work of all covid clinics in Georgia on behalf of the government, explained how public transport will work after the government decides to resume its work.
Public transport has been suspended in Georgia since March 31. So far, the only form of public transport in Georgia is taxi. Neither minibuses nor buses work. Metro work has been stopped in the capital.
The exact start date for public transport has not yet been announced. According to the assumptions of epidemiologists, this was planned to be done by the end of the first decade of June. However, the day before, economy Minister Natia Turnava said that " public transport will be restored even earlier than we planned."
Professor Tsertsvadze noted that from the point of view of the spread of the coronavirus, both the resumption of tourism and the operation of public transport are dangerous for the country, and the latter is less so than the first.
At the same time, Tsertsvadze admitted that the public transport stop cannot continue forever and its operation can be resumed in compliance with certain regulations.
"The second major problem, slightly less serious than the opening of tourism — is the launch of public transport. You know that at the first stage of lifting restrictions, there was a restriction on transport, and it was completely normal, I agree with this.
It is also obvious to everyone that this cannot continue for long, because in order for the country to open up, people to live fully and the economy to recover, people must move around. Not everyone has their own car, so first of all, the movement of buses and metro should be restored, and then, perhaps, we can think about minibuses," Tsertsvadze said.
The Professor noted that he is optimistic about the restoration of public transport in case of compliance with regulations and Georgia's success in the fight against coronavirus.
He also told what regulations will be adopted in Georgia, taking into account the experience of other countries: passengers are put one by one and in a row — the seats that can be occupied will be marked.
"This, of course, will cause a reduction in the number of passengers. If a regular bus or metro car can accommodate, say, 50 or 100 people, then under the regulations, passengers will only be a third of this number. But it's still much better than nothing, so let's start with this," Tsertsvadze said.
"If Georgia succeeds in eliminating the source of covid infection, and there will no longer be a focus from which a person can become infected, then these restrictions can be gradually lifted. Therefore, I still look at the situation with optimism, " Tsertsvadze said.

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