In the country of Georgia, IOCC has just completed a series of educational workshops on the prevention of COVID-19. Participants were long-haul truck drivers who crisscross the country transporting goods to and from the port and helping keep the economy running, and vendors at farmers markets that serve residents of Western Georgia. The trainings were developed and conducted by the Samegrelo Zemo Svaneti regional representative of Georgia’s National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, with content developed in cooperation with the World Health Organization Country Office.
As essential workers, both the drivers and farmers market workers face particular risks in terms of preventing the spread of COVID-19 among themselves and among those they come into contact with. For this reason, IOCC, with support from the World Health Organization and the European Union, conducted targeted workshops in the Western Georgia towns of Poti and Khobi.
In all, the program trained over 85 long-haul truck drivers and 30 farmers market workers on COVID-19 transmission risks and prevention measures. Participants received personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning and disinfecting supplies, as well as informational flyers. Having completed the training, they are now more knowledgeable and better equipped to keep themselves and others safe while working to provide basic services to the larger population across the region.
