Georgia: who needs flowers during an epidemic
Uncle Kako – Akaki Dzheyranashvili – from the village of Kolagi in the southeast of Georgia, has become the center of attention after RFE/RL carried a story about his tulip farm.
The pandemic has all but ruined his business, as all markets and flower shops were closed down during the state of emergency.
Now 5 thousand flowers are wilting in the garden.
When he suddenly received an order for 1,500 tulips, he was amazed.
These flowers were given as bouquets to doctors from Tbilisi clinics who are working to save patients with coronavirus.
Each bouquet came with a note, saying: “We are proud of you, thank you!”
As of the morning of April 5, there are 170 cases of coronavirus infection reported in Georgia. More than five thousand people were quarantined, another 344 are under surveillance in hospitals. 28 patients have recovered, two have died.
Everything was organized by RFE/RL journalist Mariam Natroshvili and activist Sofia Akhalaya.
The two launched a Facebook campaign called Buy a Red Tulip, and in a short time they collected 5,000 GEL (about $ 1,500).
“Everything just came together, a way to both help someone out and say thank you to the doctors,” she says.
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- State of emergency in Georgia – what restrictions will be imposed?
Georgia has been under a state of emergency since March 21.
Due to the internal spread of the coronavirus, the cities of Marneuli and Bolnisi have been on lockdown since March 23.
From March 31, there is a curfew in effect from 9pm to 6am throughout Georgia.
