Dear Dr. Gabunia and Dr. Amiran,

 

I hope this note finds you well, during what I know is a very busy time with the evolving situation around COVID-19.  The situation is similar here in the US, particularly with new evidence of domestic transmission.  Given the situation both here and Georgia, the unknowns, the potential impact on travel, including restrictions, the need for priority attention being given to this threat form the Ministry and the NCDC, I wanted to propose we plan to reschedule the workshop, targeting sometime this summer, when hopefully the situation will calm.  You should also be aware that for us, we still do not have travel restrictions, but that situation could change any day. 

 

Please let me know your thoughts, and of course we need to advise the meeting participants, and in particular, international participants that were planning to travel to Georgia, immediately.  I regret to propose this, but I think it would be the most prudent course.  We will of course continue our work in support of the HCV program as a priority.

 

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Best regards, FA

 

 

 

Francisco Averhoff MD, MPH

CAPT US Public Health Service

Associate Director for Global Health

Division of Viral Hepatitis

National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1600 Clifton Road, MS G-37

Atlanta, GA 30333

phone: 404-718-8501

fax: 404-718-8588

e-mail: fma0@cdc.gov