No Definite End to Pandemic; Health Protocols to Remain
IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK
TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani says the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will remain for a long time, warning that people still need to follow health protocols.
“We do not know exactly when the end will come and the guidelines should be observed for a long period,” Rouhnai told a meeting of the National Headquarters for Managing and Fighting the coronavirus in Tehran on Saturday.
“People should know that the epidemic will take long and today we are not in possession of a definite and clear end to the epidemic,” he added. “We may have a long period ahead until we can have access to an approved and available vaccine.”
The president noted that the country has no choice but to open factories and shops while simultaneously countering the highly contagious virus.
He further advised Iranians to observe health and safety norms, respect social distancing rules, use masks at gatherings and avoid wedding ceremonies or funeral processions.
Like many other countries, Iran is grappling with the coronavirus that first showed up in China in late December 2019 before spreading across the globe.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Rouhani urged Iranians to use internet platforms for their daily social activities as much as possible during the coronavirus pandemic.
“The real space should be our second priority, our first priority should be the cyberspace,” he said.
Rouhani also enumerated four main tasks of the government in the current critical juncture, the first of which is the provision of health care supplies.
“Fortunately, all we need today for the heath and treatment sectors are produced inside the country with no shortages in this regard and scientific and research activities are properly pursued,” he pointed out.
The second and third government tasks are providing people with basic goods and essential services including, water, electricity, gas and security, he added.
The fourth government responsibility is the provision of economic support packages, the president said. “These supports will continue as long as the coronavirus exists.”
The Islamic Republic is fighting the coronavirus amid US sanctions which prevent the country from accessing necessary equipment and medicine. The US government has defied international calls to halt the coercive measures.
Meanwhile on Friday, President Rouhani, in a phone talk with Acting Industries Minister Hossein Modarres Khiabani , called for making necessary plans for faster completion of semi-finished projects and make face masks available to the public to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Rouhani stressed that “the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade must make the necessary and comprehensive plans for the completion and operation of the semi-finished projects as soon as possible in the year of Surge in Production and seriously pursue them until the results are achieved.”
The president referred to the instructions given to relevant officials, including the governor of the Central Bank regarding the provision of foreign exchange resources, and said, “It is necessary to seriously pursue the basic goods needed by the people, as well as the raw materials of factories and manufacturing enterprises in order to achieve the prosperity and surge in production”.
He also referred to the issues discussed in the meetings of the National Task Force for Fighting Coronavirus and the meeting of the chairmen of the committees of the task force and said, “Pay attention to enough production and precise distribution of masks by targeting enough availability to the public.”
Rouhani once again thanked all those at work in the field of production, especially the country’s hardworking workers, who in the past months, despite the dangerous situation caused by the coronavirus outbreak, did not allow the country’s production wheel to stop.
