“Receiving communion from a common spoon carries the risk of spreading the infection and does not require any special scientific research, Tengiz Tsertsvadze, Director of the Infectious Diseases Hospital, told reporters on Thursday.

"This is a sensitive topic and we respect the Georgian Church, but I have always expressed and will continue to express my position : Communion with a common spoon carries the risk of spreading the infection and does not require any special scientific research," Tengiz Tsertsvadze said.