On 21 January, Armenia’s Health Ministry stated that it decided to buy the AstraZeneca vaccine to inoculate 3% of the population. According to the ministry, priority will be given to people aged over 65, those who have underlying health conditions and medical workers.

The deputy director of the Armenian National Center for Disease Control and Prevention Gayane Sahakyan predicted a renewed rise in Covid-19 infections in the country, saying that many people have again become complacent about the disease. Reports emerged from the country stating that people have stopped wearing masks in public spaces, even in shops. The country’s police even confirmed that people who were not wearing masks were rarely fined in the past few days. The parliamentary opposition in the country launched an ad hoc parliamentary commission to make an inquiry into the government's handling of the Covid-19 crisis. In an attempt to revive the country’s economy, Armenia’s Economy Ministry suggested that New Year and Christmas holidays be cut.

In turn, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan insisted that the Armenian government has done a good job dealing with the pandemic and also explained why the country’s former Health Minister Arsen Torosyan resigned (Caucasus Watch reported). He said that the Armenian state apparatus needed a major “restart” after the recent war in Nagorno-Karabakh, which was why he appointed Torosyan as his chief of staff. Pashinyan praised Torosyan’s track record, saying that the Health Ministry had been “one of our most efficient agencies” and why the country’s new Health Minister is a member of the same “team” that has run the ministry since May 2018. It was also reported that Armenia and Russia would remove entry and exit restrictions imposed because of the pandemic in the coming days. 

In the past 24 hours, Armenia reported 304 new cases of Covid-19 and 5 deaths, bringing the total tally to 165, 528 cases and 3,021 deats.

Meanwhile in Azerbaijan, it was announced that the schools are planned to reopen starting from 1 February. According to the information, starting from 1 February, students in primary school will study alternately, two or three times a week, while students in grades five to nine will attend classes after February 15. Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov stated that due to the effects of the pandemic and the Nagorno-Karabakh war, the country’s goal to double the GDP by 2030 would be challenging. 

In the past 24 hours, Azerbaijan reported 218 new Covid-19 cases and 9 deaths, bringing the total tally to 228,496 cases and 3,053 deaths. 

As in for Georgia, the country’s Economy Minister Natia Turnava stated that regular flights might be resumed starting from February. We can not name specific dates, but February will probably be the month when we will lift the restrictions on regular flights. “But this does not mean chaotic and uncontrolled entry into the country. Very specific tests, a vaccination document or other appropriate documents [for international travellers] will be required,” she said, adding that the resumption of flights would be the first hope for the revival of the tourist season.

Fifteen business associations in Georgia have sent an open letter to the government today in which they demand coronavirus-related restrictions to be lifted step by step. To help the government in this process they gave a six-point plan aiming to save the Georgian economy. The business associations stated that hotels, restaurants and shopping malls should be opened in Georgia, transport and air traffic should be restored in accordance with the coronavirus regulations. Also those operating the country’s ski resorts demand the opening of the winter season on 1 February  and tax benefits. They said that many industries have gone bankrupt due to the restrictions and that Georgia has made a lot of international financial commitments, which is why the only way out of the crisis is the business sector to begin work.

In the past 24 hours, Georgia reported 1,137 new cases of the virus and 11 deaths, bringing the total tally to 251,071 cases and 2,998 deaths.