National Center for Disease Control and Public Health releases statement

The National Center for Disease Control and Public Health has issued a statement. The Center responds to the critical assessments made by a certain group of society regarding the coronavirus treatment method, calling it defamatory and saying that the allegations cast doubt on the Center's reputation and activities, which is unacceptable.

"In response to the global crisis around the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which poses a serious challenge to our country, the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, along with various government agencies, NGOs and society as a whole, has been engaged in the processes relating to COVID-19 from day one.

In this difficult period, when the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, and the Lugar Lab, which operates under the Center, are in charge of supervising the infection, carrying out diagnostic laboratory management of COVID-19, supervising the compliance with international standards and many other important issues, various sources have repeatedly spread unfounded, illogical and mostly defamatory allegations, which cast doubt on the Center's activities and reputation. All this reached a peak on one of the TV channels yesterday.

The National Center for Disease Control and Public Health has repeatedly stated that it does not consider it necessary to engage in a discussion and respond to political statements aimed at discrediting the Center, deliberately misleading the public and obstructing the fight against the epidemic.

The National Center for Disease Control and Public Health is completely transparent for all stakeholders. On a regular basis, it provides information about the spread of coronavirus in the country and in the world via official channels (the Center’s website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, live media, special briefings), publishes educational materials and recommendations on preventive measures, continuously supervises the epidemic situation, isolates infected people and identifies their alleged active contacts, on the basis of recommendations of the World Health Organization, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control and other international organizations. In addition, it provides information to any respondent, in case of an official request, in accordance with the legislation of Georgia”, reads the statement.