Source: Open Society Foundations, Voices
Keti Khutsishvili, Open Society Georgia Foundation
Over four million cases of COVID-19 infections have now been reported globally, with some of the world’s wealthiest countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, among the hardest hit. Yet in the grim reckoning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems that each country has a different story to tell.
Georgia, a country of around 4 million located in the Caucasus, ranks 70th on the United Nations’ Human Development Index. Despite its limited resources, however, it has been able to curb the spread of the virus, with only 652 confirmed cases—and 12 deaths—as of mid-May.
How has the government of Georgia done it? By acting early, taking drastic measures even though they would hurt the country’s economy, and by mobilizing broad support—including from independent civil society groups.
Read further on Open Society Foundation’s web site.