On 22 June, the Azerbaijani authorities allowed the holding of events on weddings, engagements and birthdays beginning from 1 July. 

Azerbaijani citizens will be required to have a Covid-19 passport on vaccination to attend the events on weddings, engagements, and birthdays ceremonies with the participation of 50 to 150 guests. The wearing of face masks will become mandatory when more than 50 guests attend the ceremonies. In addition, the service sector in the country will also require Covid-19 passports to work without obstruction, starting from 1 August.  

In the past 24  hours, Azerbaijan reported 57 new cases of the virus, bringing the total tally to 335,625 cases and 4,965 deaths. The total number of vaccinated people stands at 3032516, with 1060586 people getting both doses of the vaccine.

Meanwhile, the Georgian authorities abolished the requirement on wearing face masks outdoors, while the restriction remains in force in gathering places such as bus stops, public transport, and indoor spaces. In addition, starting July 1 the curfew will be lifted in Georgia, however restaurants and food facilities in general will be open until 00:00. The operation of nightclubs remains restricted. The country’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili also announced that in two weeks, Georgia would receive 1 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, without specifying the manufacturer. 

However, in the past days, 20 people in Georgia have recorded to be infected with the strain of Covid-19 first identified in India. The chair of Georgia’s National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) Amiran Gamkrelidze warned that the growth rate of the Indian strain could reach up to 10-15%. “The current epidemiological situation in the country is stable but noteworthy,” he stressed.

In the past 24 hours, Georgia reported 773 new cases of the virus and 12 deaths, bringing the total tally to 360,828 cases and 5,211 deaths.