Search

The COVID 19 pandemic has transformed the entire world's strategy. The governmental oversight, fundamental and significant views were renewed and prioritized according to the unpredictable pandemic process and force-majeure demand. The world's governments and private sectors have faced new socio-political and economic problems and challenges that require quick, effective and powerful solutions. The nation's economic viability during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods depended on these decisions and their effectiveness. Monetary, fiscal, and financial policies suffered significant difficulties in maintaining the economic system. Covid 19 has created difficulties in predicting economic sequences alongside social problems and the complete lack of economic precision in all segments has caused macroeconomic uncertainty. This paper deals with the microeconomic analysis of Georgia in the post-pandemic period, discussing both the main economic parameters of the country and its dynamics, as well as the analysis of its impact on the microeconomic situation. The paper analyzes the impact of the pandemic on the main sectors, as well as the decisions made by the state for economic stimulation and its effect. The work is mainly based on the official information of state structures and international organizations, as well as the works of Georgian and foreign scientists, and based on them, a coherent, multi-component analysis is presented. The theoretical framework of the article is based on fundamental, conceptual studies of Georgian and foreign authors in the field of our research. The paper presents conclusions and recommendations based on a complex study of macroeconomic factors, which are important for scientific circles, both the state and the private sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insurance stable food security was and remains, one of the most significant issues faced by human society. Food security is an important socioeconomic and political issue at the individual, national, and global levels. In the conditions of global cataclysms like the COVID-19 pandemic, the problem of food security becomes even more difficult. As mentioned at the opening of the Joint Technical Symposium held on December 16th, 2022, "There is no certainty when the next pandemic will strike us, but there is the absolute certainty that it will happen again". In such conditions, rethinking the gained experience obtained through the COVID-19 pandemic becomes particularly important. The article distinguished two aspects of food security - the food quantity problem and the food quality problem and considers the impact of COVID-19 on food security at the levels of countries, human groups, and economic sectors. On the country level, the paper discusses countries that experienced food problems in the past, foodimport-dependent countries, and food-export-dependent countries. On the human groups level, the article distinguishes communities and groups of people who already experienced hunger, socially unprotected populations, and the so-called "new poor". On the economic level, the paper defines sectors of the economy that were highly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It also analyses the food security issues in Georgia and the effects of COVID-19 on the domestic production of main groups of products, the ratio of import and export by groups of products, and the self-sufficiency ratio according to some groups of products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper stresses the importance of the introduction of the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) in Georgia, describes the development stages of the system of tourism statistics for this purpose and identifies the recent weaknesses of the system. Furthermore, based on the recently created experimental TSA tables 1-4, the paper identifies the most affected tourism sectors by COVID-19 and estimates one of the main indicators of TSA - tourism direct gross domestic product in 2019 to equal 5,431 MM Gel with a share in GDP of 12.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the pandemic, 2020 became one of the most memorable years in the world history. It affected employment as well. Georgia was one of the countries which experienced the pandemic impacts on its citizens. The unemployment rate increased by 2,1% within a year and reached 20,6% in 2021. Despite state regulations and restrictions, Georgia was among the most vulnerable countries to COVID-19 spreading. It caused severe results on employment and the whole economy. The paper aims to define and analyze the impact of COVID-19 and related state regulations' impact on employment in Georgia as well as to identify the tendencies based on the qualitative analysis of the surveys conducted in Georgia. The existing literature and available information on the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and employment is reviewed. Comparative analysis of the EU and Georgian state regulations related to COVID-19 is provided. Data used in the paper is of secondary type. Graphs are used to visualize data, and analysis of statistical observation is applied. Georgian researcher's findings are also used. Significant evaluations and analyses are drawn depending on the collected data relating to COVID-19 impact on the economy, employment and people's perception. Some authors' predictions are presented as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The banking sector is a key driver of economic growth in Georgia. The sector has been resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic, with low levels of non-performing loans and strong capital buffers. However, the pandemic has had a negative impact on the local economy, leading to a decline in economic activity and a slowdown in credit growth. The post-pandemic period is expected to be challenging for the banking sector, as it will need to support the recovery of the local economy. The sector will need to focus on providing credit to businesses and households, as well as on developing new products and services to meet the needs of customers. This paper discusses the current trends in the development of the banking sector in Georgia in 2019-2022, in relation to the issues of economic growth and the problems and challenges that the pandemic and post-pandemic periods have shown us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As farmworkers were reframed as "essential" workers during the COVID‐19 pandemic, US growers demanded unfettered access to foreign farm labor. After initially announcing a freeze on all immigration processing, the Trump administration bowed to farmers' demands, granting a single exception for agricultural guestworkers under the H‐2A visa program. Through a focus on H‐2A farmworkers in Georgia, this paper highlights how the pandemic exacerbated farm labor conditions in the US South. The author interrogates these conditions through the lens of racial capitalism, exposing the legacies of plantation political economies and a longstanding agricultural labor system premised on devaluing racialized labor. These histories are obscured by the myth of agricultural exceptionalism—the idea that agriculture is too different and important to be subject to the same rules and regulations as other industries. Agricultural exceptionalism naturalizes the racial capitalist system and informs state responses that privilege agricultural production through the exploitation of farmworkers, remaking "essential" farmworkers as sacrificial labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the unique challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid spread infection, healthcare providers caring for these patients are experiencing high levels of anxiety and stress. This can be overwhelming, resulting in mental anguish and loss of productivity during a period when the demand for healthcare is high. Medical facilities need to adopt and quickly enact evidence-based practices that are designed to keep their workforce resilient. Successful implementation of a new practice during a pandemic is challenging. This paper describes how the Medical Association of Georgia is adapting and using "Diffusion of Innovation Science" techniques to formulate their guidelines and help Georgia's medical facilities implement evidence-based practices during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many countries suffer from Balance of Payments deficits. However, proper analysis is needed to determine how systemic, strategically balanced, and objective it is. The pandemic has proven to be an excellent diagnostician for assessing the robustness of current economic strategies in general and in relation to the Balance of Payments. It, like the litmus paper, highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of the economic strategies implemented by the countries. And that should be the main lesson the world has learned from the pandemic. Georgia, with persistent Balance of Payments deficit, is becoming increasingly vulnerable to global changes caused by pandemic processes. The current account deficit in 2020 was 12.5 percent of GDP, up from 5.5 percent in 2019. The development of a worse-case scenario for the growth of the deficit was significantly hampered by the increase in remittances inflows, which was less expected in the context of global lockdowns around the world. However, in reviewing developments over the last two decades, the paper finds that the still-high dependence of current account on remittances continues to maintain the volatility of Balance of Payments. Moreover, favorable conditions for the development of international tourism in the country have raised high expectations for this activity, although this sector is very sensitive to a number of external and global factors, as confirmed by the current pandemic. Thus, the article recommends considering international tourism as an additional source of foreign exchange inflows into the country, and not as one of the main and decisive ones. The deterioration of the Balance of Payments and the reduction of foreign exchange earnings create unfavorable prospects in terms of dealing with growing international financial liabilities. According to 2020 statistical data, the country's international financial liabilities were 2.3 times higher than GDP, of which debt liabilities - 129.9 percent of GDP, while the total foreign exchange inflows of the Balance of Payments, which are intended to serve these liabilities, in the same year amounted to only 55.4 percent of GDP. These data show that there are no alternatives to choosing the right strategy for achieving a reasonable relationship between trajectories of external liabilities and foreign exchange earnings, taking measures to improve the Balance of Payments. The purpose of this article is to clarify the nature of the country's Balance of Payments deficit; How realistic the prospect of mitigating the degree of vulnerability to global factors is in a small economy with limited resources; How we can turn a problem into an opportunity. On the other hand, it is unknown when the crisis, known as COVID-19, will stop finally, it is important to critically evaluate both the pros and cons of given economic policy "... in order to make the economic development agenda more rational, responsive, results- and long-term perspectives oriented" (Aslamazishvili, 2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Political Science Review / Przegląd Politologiczny is the property of Faculty of Political Science & Journalism, Adam Mickiewicz University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The paper reviews Georgia's digital trust formation process and underlines the most important challenges for the online business sector. This research can be generalized for most developing countries where the digital transition process is on the agenda, especially for countries that have recently emerged from economic-political transition. Georgia has completed the transition from a centrally planned economic system (the heritage of being part of the Soviet Union) to a free market economy. Although trust in institutions is improving gradually, mistrust in business processes is still a great challenge for local business sectors. A wide-reaching lockdown caused by the 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic pushed both firms and individuals further towards online activity worldwide. In this regard, trust has become the key determinant in facilitating electronic transactions. Technological advances are providing dozens of tools to improve customer satisfaction and trust, which should lead to customer loyalty. On the other hand, lack of digital skills and digital security problems raises digital untrust concerns. Therefore, trust research in the digital economy is becoming more actual for academic or business studies. Digital trust is a multidimensional factor that is under the influence of digital and physical operations. In Georgia, businesses have to overcome obstacles built-in people's minds as a heritage of the Soviet Union. Georgia was a part of the Soviet Union for 70 years, which critically degraded the trust of both formal and informal institutions. Therefore, building digital trust in business is getting more complex as it includes traditional trust problems and digital challenges too. The main research purpose in this paper is to present the digital trust forming process in Georgia to reveal the major problems. This study involved the trust stack model in analysing three different stages of trust formation in the Georgian digital economy (trust in the idea, trust in the platform, trust in the individual). The research identified challenges and steps which should be carried out soon. Research academic findings and methodological approaches can be used to analyze other developing countries whose economies are influenced by the digital transformation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The initial lockdown phase of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. simultaneously caused food demand from the food service industry to plummet and food insecurity to soar. This created a unique scenario with a large need for food access and a large surplus of food, but no established way to connect the two. The Georgia Department of Agriculture worked with agricultural producers, distributors, and local governments to create a program that facilitated the sale of excess farm commodities and helped alleviate food insecurity. This paper describes how the program was designed and the lessons learned in its execution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To restore the economy of post-pandemic Georgia, it is essential to solve problems in creative and innovative ways, and build an economy based on knowledge and innovation. The paper analyzes the impact of the global pandemic and other negative factors on the development of the startup ecosystem in Georgia, the main challenges, and the measures taken. The work is based on the review of statistical data, the anti-crisis policy of the state, and the assessment of the main directions of the government program 2021-2024 "For the construction of the European state". Opinions got expressed about the mobilization of existing opportunities for the development of the startup ecosystem in Georgia in the post-pandemic period and the introduction of innovative technologies and products in the new reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an economic crisis in almost every country in the world and has exacerbated economic, social, cultural, legal, educational, and other problems. Artificial intelligence, as the technology of the future, offers new ways to solve the problems of the post-pandemic period, to make technological decisions, to develop business processes using modern innovative advances, to improve management processes, to improve medical services opportunity etc. Artificial intelligence is a field of special interest for researchers, one of the promising technologies of modern digital culture, which seeks not only to understand the nature of intelligence but also to create artificial systems with intelligent behavior. The potential of artificial intelligence can be harnessed in healthcare, agriculture, finance, energy, communications, economics, cybersecurity, and many more. However, artificial intelligence is associated with many risks, such as its use for criminal purposes, loss of jobs, or potential replacement. The main goal of the research is to determine the possibilities of introducing artificial intelligence systems in Georgia in the post-pandemic period, to select innovative approaches to increase economic efficiency, and to find ways to solve the post- pandemic socio-economic problem. In the scientific paper, to determine the possibility of using artificial intelligence in the post-pandemic period and in- depth analysis of the current situation, both Georgian and foreign scientific literature, studies, and statistical data were studied. Using quantitative-statistical research methods, some conclusions and recommendations were developed based on the sharing of existing practices related to the use the artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence plays a special role in the process of sustainable development of the post-pandemic economy and maximization of economic prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the economic crisis in Georgia, as well as in many other countries of the world, and aggravated economic, social, cultural, educational, and other problems. Due to the pandemic, the restrictions and regulations introduced by the state sharply hindered economic activity, increased unemployment, aggravated inflation, and made the social problems of the population even more unbearable. The Georgian government has been forced to increase public debt, which has been growing in recent years and is a heavy burden on the country's population. The paper analyzes the measures taken by the Government of Georgia to overcome the crisis caused by the pandemic and expresses views on the potential challenges of the post-pandemic period, the tendency of public debt growth, the peculiarities of management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Economic & Political Thought / Myśl Ekonomiczna & Polityczna is the property of Lazarski University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The impact of COVID-19 has been felt by all facets of the criminal justice system and victim services agencies. The ability to monitor and report maltreatment has been severely limited for organizations that work with children of abuse and neglect; this is particularly troubling given that abuse and neglect are likely to rise during times of distress and turmoil. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the importance of organizations that work with children exposed to maltreatment, highlight the novel approach of Child Advocacy Services, SEGA, Inc. (CASSEGA), the sponsoring agency for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and the Ogeechee Visitation Centers, in rural southeast Georgia and how the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged this work, and develop strategies that can be put into place to alleviate these challenges for other child-serving organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) expanded its workforce by >250 staff during Fall 2020 to manage the expected volume of outbreaks, which ultimately peaked. The workforce included reorganized groups of physicians, nurses, outbreak investigators from several DPH programs, and a 100+ member data science team tasked with designing and operating a data system and information flow process that became the backbone infrastructure of support for field investigation and outbreak management in real-time. The accelerated workforce expansion was completed in 3 months. To prepare new and reassigned permanent staff for fieldwork, DPH and several faculty from the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health adopted a flexible, skills-based series of medical Grand Rounds. These 16 sessions were grounded in practice- and problem-based learning principles using case studies, interactive scenarios, and didactic presentations based on scientific and public health practice information to teach knowledge and skills that were needed to manage COVID-19 outbreaks in different sectors. The evaluation suggests positive experience with the training series as well as impact on job performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a sample survey of Georgia libraries' services for those experiencing homelessness, conducted in the spring of 2020 before COVID-19 closed libraries across the country. It examines previous research on best practices to aid those experiencing homelessness and former attempts to implement these practices. From these practices and experiences the survey questions were designed. The questions are as follows: what barriers exist, if any, at these libraries that might make it difficult for those experiencing homelessness to use library services; do these libraries follow best practices standards in their services that help all patrons feel welcome using the libraries facilities; what correlation exists, if any, between a library's services and its location; in what ways, if any, do their websites aid people experiencing homelessness and educate the public about the needs of people in their community? The findings show where Georgia public libraries excel and ways they might wish to improve, as well as offering suggestions to all public libraries. It also opens the door for more extensive studies to be conducted in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers post-pandemic implications for higher education institutions and explores the steps required to continue with online delivery, where desirable. Strategic considerations are outlined and priorities for development analysed to ensure higher education institutions can align, in a post-pandemic future, with quality assurance expectations for online education, especially where they are new to the online environment. An analysis of the Georgian higher education context exhibited highly transferable findings as it identified the specificities of the emergency response, highlighted experiences relevant to the transition phase and recommended criteria and guidelines to support the quality assurance of post-pandemic online education. While the Georgian pandemic experience has been as challenging as in other parts of the world, the fact that the whole sector was legally denied the opportunity to offer online education before COVID-19 makes for interesting analysis and confirms that post-pandemic online higher education development is as much an institutional decision as it is a systemic leap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, effective contact tracing was recognized as a crucial public health response to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and reduce COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality, particularly before widespread vaccination. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended implementing active surveillance strategies to trace and quarantine contacts of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases. Methods: A detailed review and analysis of the COVID-19 contact tracing responses was conducted in five European countries and territories, between March 2021 and August 2022. The countries and territories were selected to ensure geographical representation across the WHO European Region and applied a mixed-methods approach of in-depth interviews with various stakeholders across different administrative levels to identify good practices in COVID-19 contact tracing. The interviews covered 12 themes, including methods and procedures for COVID-19 contact tracing, information technology, quality assurance and key performance indicators. Results: The findings demonstrate that the policy approach, digitalization capabilities and implementation approach varied in the countries and territories and were dynamic throughout the pandemic. The analysis revealed that some practices were applicable across all countries and territories, while others were context-specific, catering to each country's and territory's unique needs. The study highlighted a need for all countries to institutionalize contact tracing as an essential function of existing health systems, to digitalize contact tracing practices and processes, and to build and retain contact tracing capacities for better pandemic preparedness. Conclusion: The lessons related to COVID-19 contact tracing should be utilized to strengthen future outbreak response operations as part of epidemic and pandemic preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decade, the attention of the world scientific community has been mainly focused on such important challenges of global security as - ecological, economic, information, cyber security, etc. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought health safety issues to the forefront, posing a particular threat not only to individuals but to humanity as a whole. The global crisis caused by COVID-19 has significantly affected the Georgian economy and exacerbated the economic and information security problems for individual business companies. The main goal of the research is to assess the main economic and information security challenges of business companies in Georgia in the pandemic and post-pandemic periods and to find ways to solve them. Implementation of appropriate programs to protect the economic and information security, the widespread introduction of modern information technologies, artificial intelligence will help overcome the post-pandemic economic crisis in business companies. The main goal of the research is to assess the main economic and information security challenges of business companies in Georgia in the pandemic and post-pandemic periods and to find ways to solve them. Implementation of appropriate programs to protect the economic and information security, the widespread introduction of modern information technologies, artificial intelligence will help overcome the post-pandemic economic crisis in business companies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The provision of primary medical care holds significant importance within the healthcare system, serving as a fundamental pillar of the overall framework. The significance of the matter resides in its comprehensive significance for nearly all nations across the globe. Every individual state is actively endeavoring to modify and enhance emergency medical care and primary health care services. Furthermore, the significance of emergency medical care has escalated as a result of global events that have transpired over the past two decades, particularly during a pandemic. Emergency care has emerged as the paramount means of preserving human life. Emergency medical care is required to address global challenges through a diverse range of approaches. For instance, it is imperative that one of these entities replicates the economic systems of developed nations and engages in resource transfer. The association of international organizations with a mesh ring has the potential to enhance the credibility of medical care. It can be asserted with confidence that the functionality of the system is contingent upon its success. Despite the frequent occurrence of controversy surrounding the present matter, there remains a substantial amount of content to be addressed. Consequently, in the pursuit of knowledge within this domain, it is imperative to incorporate multiple scientific sources that facilitate logical reasoning. Medical aid manuals for emergency situations are a highly valuable resource that provides comprehensive guidance to healthcare professionals, extending beyond their own scope. They play a crucial role in enabling individuals to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge needed to effectively respond to a diverse array of emergency scenarios. In accordance with the reviewed guidelines, it is imperative to emphasize the significance of effective communication and coordinated teamwork in the context of emergency medical care. Georgia's emergency aid framework is established through the collaborative endeavors of state and local authorities. The primary function of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency is to effectively coordinate emergency response efforts, optimize resource allocation, and facilitate communication among diverse stakeholders. Aim: This article seeks to examine significant findings pertaining to Ambulance (EMS) worldwide, the current state of affairs in Georgia, legislative measures, statistical data, and potential avenues for advancement. Methods: A search was conducted on the PubMed database to identify articles published from 2005 using the keywords "Ambulance" and "Emergency medical services". Excluded from consideration were articles lacking an abstract and those whose titles were deemed irrelevant to the objectives of this review. We excluded manuscripts that were not written in English. Result: A total of 3,398 manuscripts were identified. There were a total of 282 review articles, 9 books, 23 meta-analytic studies, and 169 randomized controlled trials included in the analysis. Legislation and manuscripts from Georgia were also utilized. Conclusions: Further research is needed to clarify the ways to develop Emergency medical services in Georgia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Civil society organisations (CSO) play an important role in social value creation. With funds provided by donors, they implement a great variety of projects. The main purpose of the study was to identify the most important factors that directly or indirectly affected organisational performance over the past few years, reducing the spending capabilities of Georgian civil society organisations. A survey involving interviews was conducted with 24 CSOs that were implementing a total of 52 projects with the support of 15 different donors. To assess exchange rate risks that reduce spending capabilities, historic simulation and scenario analysis method was adopted. The results show that exchange rate volatility, inflation, and the COVID-19 pandemic were the most important factors that affected project performance. The effect of inflation was undoubtedly negative, exchange rate fluctuation was mostly negative, while the restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic had some positive implications. Performance and risk factors that influence civil society organisations are poorly studied (in contrast with for-profit companies), and this fact makes the current study especially interesting and significant for CSO management, donor organisations and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In March 2020, the rapid spread of COVID-19 led to physical school closures across the United States. Schools quickly transitioned to a remote and/or virtual learning environment. This transition had implications for students at all levels of education, especially for those most vulnerable and school-dependent for ancillary resources. The goal of this qualitative exploratory research study was to examine how public elementary schools in Georgia adapted their learning environments for students in kindergarten through third grade during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collection activities included school demographic surveys, parent surveys, interviews with twelve school administrators, and six focus groups with twenty-six parents. The participants discussed schools' preparation capabilities, implementation of learning modalities, and resources for students and families. Most school personnel described the new virtual teaching demands as a hurdle for their teachers and identified several academic consequences stemming from inadequate technology access or training, such as student absenteeism and lower teaching performance. Schools lacked appropriate preparation as well as limited resources to transition to virtual learning. The COVID-19 pandemic aggravated pre-existing education and technology resource disparities for students and families of low socio-economic status or who live in rural areas. Findings from this study provide educators with information regarding deficiencies in the learning environment and provide recommendations for ongoing academic remedial efforts. Additionally, this study provides important context for the shortcomings of the COVID-19 learning environments and highlights the need to strengthen school community infrastructure and emergency planning. Highlights: School administrators and parents from four public elementary schools located in urban and rural settings reported school adaptations made during the COVID-19 pandemic Many K-3 teachers were unprepared to provide virtual instruction and many K-3 students attending 'high poverty' schools lacked access to digital resources Three of the four schools lacked the resource capacity to support student learning needs during the spring 2020 transition and reported student absenteeism from online classes Schools should prioritize issues of academic preparedness and capacity building [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use high-frequency mobile phone movement data and quick-release administrative data from Georgia to examine how time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic is related to child maltreatment referrals. Findings show that referrals plummeted by 58% relative to previous years, driven by fewer referrals from education personnel. After this initial decline, however, each 15 minutes at home was associated with an increase in referrals of material neglect by 3.5% and supervisory neglect by 1%. Our results describe how children have fared during the initial wave of the pandemic, and the results have long-term implications for child development and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jail-based competency restoration largely emerged as a method to address the backlog at forensic hospitals around the United States, as the number of justice-involved persons in need of restoration outgrew available beds. Jail-based competency restoration units (JBCRUs) appear to be highly effective and cost-saving. However, after the COVID-19 outbreak, services at some JBCRUs were stalled, as providers were forced to either quickly initiate or ramp up technology use to maintain services. The present study describes the course of programming for a JBCRU in Fulton County, Georgia, prior to and after the onset of COVID-19, during which time all treatment shifted to telehealth. A matched comparison group of prepandemic defendants was used to compare in-person versus telehealth services and findings indicated that while defendants' length of stay remained effectively the same, the restoration rate for telehealth increased remarkably over prepandemic levels (χ2 = 10.1, p =.001). Such findings suggest that telehealth services are an effective mode of delivery for competency restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel optimization algorithm for stable parameter estimation and forecasting from limited incidence data for an emerging outbreak is proposed. The algorithm combines a compartmental model of disease progression with iteratively regularized predictor-corrector numerical scheme aimed at the reconstruction of case reporting ratio, transmission rate, and effective reproduction number. The algorithm is illustrated with real data on COVID-19 pandemic in the states of Georgia and New York, USA. The techniques of functional data analysis are applied for uncertainty quantification in extracted parameters and in future projections of new cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: We aimed to identify the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and suicidality and identify relevant risk and protecting factors among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia. Materials and methods: We conducted an anonymous online survey (n = 984, convenience sample by approaching all universities in Georgia and some student organizations) using valid instruments (e.g., STAI to assess anxiety, CES-D for depression, and RASS to assess suicidality). We calculated frequencies and prevalence and applied regression analysis and Chi-square tests to identify risk and protecting factors. Findings: Respondents' mental health had been significantly affected (with a high prevalence of depression (46.7%) and anxiety (79%)) during the pandemic (which coincided with political turmoil and caused an economic crisis) in Georgia. Some of the critical factors affecting mental health were: female sex (p =.000), bad general health condition (anxiety p =.001, depression p =.004), finances (anxiety and depression p <.001), reduced physical activity (anxiety p <.001, depression p =.014), and a history of self-harming (suicidality p <.001). Less family conflicts (anxiety and depression p <.05), absence of nightmares (anxiety and depression p <.001), moderate or low fears of COVID-19 (anxiety p <.001), and lower substance use (anxiety p =.023) were among the potentially protective factors. International students coped better, despite vulnerability. Medical students had a lower risk of depression. Conclusions: In the complex socioeconomic context, mental health of students in Georgia suffered a lot during the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring thorough planning and delivery of student support services in higher educational institutions during and after the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: In Spring 2020, Georgia public schools implemented remote learning to manage the spread of COVID‐19. This study explores the effects of remote schooling on the learning of young children in Georgia during the early COVID‐19 pandemic from the perspectives of school administrators and essential working parents. METHODS: A qualitative exploratory study was conducted with eight school administrators and 26 essential working parents of children in kindergarten through third grades of two rural and two urban schools in Georgia. Data collection included online surveys, virtual interviews and focus groups. Descriptive analyses of the demographics provided context to emerging themes from qualitative data. RESULTS: Most school administrators and parents reported declines in student learning and academic behavior related to remote learning. Lack of Wi‐Fi, technology, and digital literacy were often cited as barriers to learning. Challenges with remote learning were amplified for students and parents of vulnerable groups. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study illustrate the need to institute policies, procedures, and supports to maximize schools' ability to safely offer in‐person learning during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Considerations should be made of the needs of essential working parents, vulnerable populations, and the digital divide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Spring term of 2020, nearly 90% of higher education institutions in the United States were forced to transition from primarily face-to-face (F2F) instruction to various modes of remote or online instruction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. State-funded colleges and universities in Georgia were mandated to do the same in April of 2020, which led to a system-wide hiatus in face-to-face instruction while instructors prepared to return to all-remote teaching. This study examined the effects of this transition to Emergency Remote Instruction (ERI) at six institutions in Georgia, using a survey completed by 910 instructors who made that transition in at least one course in the Spring term of 2020. 65% of the instructors taught remotely or online for the first time after the transition. Instructors reported accessing a variety of institutional, collegial, and internet resources to aid in the transition, leading 53.4% of them to express that they were adequately prepared for ERI. Once classes resumed online, instructors found themselves to be needing much more time for remote instruction than their previous F2F instruction. From a one-word summary description of their experience, instructors reported that it led them to be challenged, stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reported coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases underestimate true severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections. Data on all infections, including asymptomatic infections, are needed. To minimize biases in estimates from reported cases and seroprevalence surveys, we conducted a household-based probability survey and estimated cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections adjusted for antibody waning.Methods: From August to December 2020, we mailed specimen collection kits (nasal swabs and blood spots) to a random sample of Georgia addresses. One household adult completed a survey and returned specimens for virus and antibody testing. We estimated cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections adjusted for waning antibodies, reported fraction, and infection fatality ratio (IFR). Differences in seropositivity among demographic, geographic, and clinical subgroups were explored with weighted prevalence ratios (PR).Results: Among 1370 participants, adjusted cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 was 16.1% (95% credible interval [CrI], 13.5%-19.2%) as of 16 November 2020. The reported fraction was 26.6% and IFR was 0.78%. Non-Hispanic black (PR, 2.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-4.1) and Hispanic adults (PR, 1.98; 95% CI, .74-5.31) were more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to be seropositive.Conclusions: As of mid-November 2020, 1 in 6 adults in Georgia had been infected with SARS-CoV-2. The COVID-19 epidemic in Georgia is likely substantially underestimated by reported cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spread of COVID-19 in the Spring of 2020 prompted state and local governments to implement a variety of policies, including stay-at-home (SAH) orders and mandatory mask requirements, aimed at reducing the infection rate and the severity of the pandemic's impact. We implement a discrete choice experiment survey in three major U.S. States—California, Georgia, and Illinois—to empirically quantify individuals' willingness to stay (WTS) home, measured as the number of weeks of a potential new SAH order, to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 disease and explore factors leading to their heterogeneous WTS. Our results demonstrate broad support for statewide mask mandates. In addition, the estimate of WTS to lower new positive cases is quite large, approximately five and half weeks, even though staying home lowers utility. We also find that individuals recognize the trade-offs between case reduction and economic slowdown stemming from SAH orders when they decide to stay home or not. Finally, pandemic related factors such as age, ability to work from home, and unemployment status are the main drivers of the heterogeneity in individuals' WTS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Article analysis new technological opportunities for Georgia to reduce the Small and Medium size Enterprises (SME) financing gap, which hinders not only their own, but country's economic development. While SME sector has a vital role in employment, inclusiveness, gross domestic product generation and etc. in any country in the world and especially in developing ones, they still face significant credit constraints having bank centered, non-diversified financial systems within their economies. However, modern digital financial technologies, could be seen as a paradigm changing instrument for Georgia. The reasons for the Fintech industry at the initial stage of its development in Georgia are different and mainly related toward (but not limited with): not enough legislative support so far; lack of financial education among society and even SME sector; low competition on the market; covid-19 global pandemic and related challenges; not enough motivation among businesses and businessmen to spend enough time, money and effort to innovate; lack of interest from the fintech industry because of small market size and etc.; decrease the foreign direct investments and increase the investment's share in the banking sector and the absence of qualified workforce in needed amount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has not only economic character, it is multifaceted, so ways to tackle the problem are more complex and ambiguous. Measures to protect the health of the population often comes into conflict with economic recovery measures, which raises the issue of their proper balancing. At the same time, financial, moral and material support should be provided to the vulnerable sections of the society, at the same time, the party creating the demand for labor should be encouraged to maintain jobs. Recovering the economy requires a comprehensive and consistent strategy based on the interests of each citizen. It is important to have an active social dialogue between employers 'and entrepreneurs' organizations and employees. These measures are relatively easy to implement for countries with high incomes and developed economies, while for low-income countries, the use of fiscal and monetary policy instruments is limited and therefore becomes a more difficult process. In such a case, it is recommended to differentiate the directions of the state employment policy according to the priority. The first line of action in the conditions of the covid-19 pandemic should be to stop the growth of poverty caused by declining employment income from reduced employment. As mentioned above, the government's anti-crisis plan even provides for passive policy measures and appropriate funding. However, it should be noted that the simplification of bureaucratic procedures related to the issuance and administration of targeted benefits would also be desirable. The activation of passive policy has accelerated the "formalization" of informal employees, it is recommended to continue working in this direction through a different prism to prevent the growth of precariate in the labor market. It is advisable to increase the number of jobs in the formal sector, to adequately remunerate the qualifications and energy expended, to create normal working conditions and to provide real protection of the labor rights of the employees. It is recommended to finance various projects and startups to promote self-employment and motivate the unemployed people. An important measure is the systematic research of labor market needs, which creates a clear picture of the requirements in the field of employment in the policy-making process and is a vector in the planning of training relevant qualified personnel. The latter will help to eliminate the most important problems of the Georgian labor market - the imbalance between labor demand and supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the spring of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly spread through the four corners of the world, Christian Orthodox churches were caught in the age-old altercation with science. Tensions condensed around a small material object—the communion spoon—and its potential to transmit the virus. The article examines the ensuing Eucharist-related debates between 'liberal secularists' and followers of the Orthodox Church of Georgia: namely, the former's selective juxtaposition of abstract 'faith' against religious practice due to the latter's alleged incongruity with modernity. The goal of this article is to illuminate the underlying discourse behind these accusations, which in turn draws on the notion of 'modern religiosity' informed by post-Reformation ideals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global trends and prospects of economic development have been studied on the grounds of an analysis of statistical data of Georgia, developed and developing countries against the background of a crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic. It is an analysis of perturbations caused by COVID-19, along with their impact on the economic growth, foreign trade, balance of payments, public debt, current account deficit, parameters of the State Budget, inflation, employment, performance of the financial sector, sustainability, etc. Article also presents a discussion on wide-scale fiscal and monetary anti-crisis measures implemented in various countries, along with a possible outcome of such measures in a short- to medium-term horizon, their impact on macroeconomic and monetary stability of individual countries, regions and world, economic growth and welfare of people. Article presents a comparative analysis of the economic impact caused by the pandemic based on the rich statistical data of a great number of countries and Georgia. Also, it highlights the significance of anti-pandemic measures and role of the effective public administration in managing the financial-economic challenges and in resolving problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2020, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 impacted Georgia, USA. Georgia announced a state-wide shelter-in-place on April 2 and partially lifted restrictions on April 27. We estimated the time-varying reproduction numbers (Rt) of COVID-19 in Georgia, Metro Atlanta, and Dougherty County and environs from March 2, 2020, to November 20, 2020. Methods: We analyzed the daily incidence of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Georgia, Metro Atlanta, and Dougherty County and its surrounding counties, and estimated Rt using the R package EpiEstim. We used a 9-day correction for the date of report to analyze the data by assumed date of infection. Results: The median Rt estimate in Georgia dropped from between 2 and 4 in mid-March to < 2 in late March to around 1 from mid-April to November. Regarding Metro Atlanta, Rt fluctuated above 1.5 in March and around 1 since April. In Dougherty County, the median Rt declined from around 2 in late March to 0.32 on April 26. Then, Rt fluctuated around 1 in May through November. Counties surrounding Dougherty County registered an increase in Rt estimates days after a superspreading event occurred in the area. Conclusions: In Spring 2020, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 transmission in Georgia declined likely because of social distancing measures. However, because restrictions were relaxed in late April and elections were conducted in November, community transmission continued, with Rt fluctuating around 1 across Georgia, Metro Atlanta, and Dougherty County as of November 2020. The superspreading event in Dougherty County affected surrounding areas, indicating the possibility of local transmission in neighboring counties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspects of behavior and functioning of every state, social institute, human are rapidly changing in the modern world. The pandemic occurring at the current stage of societal life has had an essential impact on the development of the society. This was reflected in the changes of humans' sociological, economic, psychological, educational, cultural and other types of behaviors. In the fight against the global pandemic we notice a societal regress and therefore a wide study of the societal losses caused by the pandemic and coming up with preventive measures on the global as well as regional scale occupy an important place on today's agenda. Gradually, an opinion to the effect that the world will change and never be the same takes root in a society. Consequently, scientists must answer the following questions coming from the society: how will the coronavirus develop and reach its end, will there be other waves of the virus and how much more dangerous can they be compared to the first one? What will be the new format of the fight against it? How will economy, education, science and culture develop? What kinds of risks and threats are expected to rear up in the world, on its certain continents, countries, etc.? The issue is all the more pressing and urgent not only because of the display of the pandemic's peculiarities today and in the previous period with regard to various fields of societal development, but also as a result of the need to analyze the possible scenarios and trends of the post-pandemic period in regional perspective. The above-mentioned indicates the necessity of establishing the newest interdisciplinary field of science - pandemology. The fact of the matter is that as opposed to the existing science field of epidemiology, the research object of pandemology is broader and is derived from the global character of pandemics. Epidemiology belongs to the sphere of medicine whereas pandemology has to study not only medical domain but also the consequences caused by economic, demographic, sociological, psychological and other types of behavioral changes itself occasioned by the pandemic on the global scale as well as differentially, according to certain continents and countries. In this regard, we present regional peculiarities of the results of a research conducted in some fields of pandemology, namely, sociology of pandemics and economy of pandemics in Georgia at the initial stage of the coronavirus. Against the background of risk perception and knowledge of the threat of pandemic, the article discusses the self-preservative preventive behavior of the population. It further analyzes the results of the population's self-caring and economic behavior under those social-economic conditions which are brought about by the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]