Report on the business trip of the staff of the Research Institute of Virology to Georgia for the conference "COVID-19: Lessons Learned" organized by the Biosafety Association for in Central Asia and the Caucasus (BACAC)

1. Participants:

- Mirkasimova H.H. 1956 Tashkent, Acting Head of the Laboratory of Natural Focal Especially Dangerous Viral Infections

- Umirzakov Sh. D., 1971, in Jizzak oblast, doctor-epidemiologist of the laboratory of natural and focal especially dangerous viral infections

- Bainazarov M.M. 1985 in Tashkent region, virologist of the laboratory of natural focal especially dangerous viral infections

- Mirzaeva A.U. 1983 in Denov, Surkhandarya province, entomologist of the laboratory of natural-focused especially dangerous viral infections

- Gareev R.F. 1985 in Andijan region, virologist of reference laboratory

- Murodullaev A.A. 1996 in Namangan region, doctor-virus reference laboratory

2 Reason for the assignment: Invitation to the ABBCA Conference "COVID-19: Lessons Learned", Tbilisi, Georgia, October 3-7, 2022

Location: Tbilisi, Georgia 4.

4. Place of accommodation: Tbilisi, RedissonBlulveria Hotel
5. Group departure and arrival flights: October 3-8
6. Purpose of the meeting: The purpose of the conference is for experts from Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe to discuss lessons learned regarding the difficulties encountered during the pandemic, which include:

- Legislative issues;

- Diagnostics and surveillance;

- Biological waste management;

- Effective public health communication;

- Sanitary control and risk management;

- Biosafety education and training.

7. Objectives of the meeting: to study legislative issues, to get acquainted with modern methods of laboratory diagnosis, to raise awareness of biological protection and safety issues, to learn how to use mobile laboratory complex
8. 8. Organizers: International Science and Technology Center, Biosafety Association Central Asian and Caucasus (BACAC), EU CBRN Center of Excellence, US Department of State Biosafety Engagement Program, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health
9. 9. Invited organizations: Biosafety Association Central Asian and Caucasus (BACAC).
10. Participants: Delegations from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kenya, Serbia, Ukraine, Mongolia, Georgia. 11. Major Results and Recommendations: The conference produced recommendations for biosafety and biosecurity training. Recommendations on hazardous waste collection and disposal were received. Recommendations on preventing the spread of SARS COV-19 were received. Recommendations for grant writing were received.

Nature of information received: Lectures, presentations, poster exhibition.

13. Conclusion: Biosafety Association Central Asian and Caucasus (BACAC) conference "COVID-19: lessons learned" lectures on legislative matters, familiarization with modern methods of laboratory diagnosis, awareness on biosafety and security issues, mastered techniques of mobile laboratory complex use