TBILISI, October 7 – Georgia is planning to bring in around 200,000 doses of free flu vaccine this year as health officials prepare for the winter influenza season.
Professor Ivane Chkhaidze, medical director of the Iashvili Children’s Central Hospital, said the vaccine has been fully updated for the current season and contains three components covering two influenza A strains and one influenza B strain.
Chkhaidze said flu cases are expected to start rising in November, with activity likely to peak around late December and early January.
So far, however, the 2026 respiratory virus season has been milder than the previous two years, he said, with fewer visits to primary healthcare facilities and lower hospitalization rates.
Rhinovirus currently accounts for about 60% of laboratory-confirmed respiratory virus cases, according to figures cited by Chkhaidze from Georgia’s National Center for Disease Control. Other viruses being detected include seasonal coronaviruses, parainfluenza and adenovirus, while Covid cases have also continued to be recorded in recent weeks.
Chkhaidze said Georgia is not seeing an early flu surge. He pointed to Japan as the only country currently reporting an unusually early start to the flu season, but said that had no effect on the outlook for Georgia.
Furthermore, late October and early November are considered the best time for vaccination, he pointed out, particularly for risk groups including people aged 65 and over, children under two, healthcare workers and people with serious cardiovascular conditions.
The vaccine is usually delivered to Georgia in October. Chkhaidze said the planned 200,000 free doses should be sufficient for the country. According to him, flu vaccination is needed each year because circulating strains change and vaccine protection typically lasts about six to eight months.
