Gov’t Announces Stricter Rules to Stem Coronavirus
IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK
TEHRAN – The Iranian president says stricter restrictions will be put in place to stem the spread of coronavirus, and those breaching health protocols will be dealt with seriously.
President Hassan Rouhani said “prevention” is the only way to counter COVID-19 and cut off its chain of transmission.
“We have no other option, but to levy fines on offenders,” he said at a meeting of the National Coronavirus Headquarters on Saturday.
“It is necessary to intensify care and monitoring to combat coronavirus,” he said.
Rouhani said punishments have been envisaged for all civil servants and other businesses that do not abide by health protocols.
He noted employees who do not abide by health directives could be fined or temporarily suspended, and businesses that do not comply could also be ordered to close for a specific period of time.
He added anyone giving services to customers who do not observe health protocols will also be punished.
President Rouhani urged all citizens to seriously respect health protocols.
“Under the current circumstances, we should all join hands to ensure people’s health and livelihood as well,” he added.
Rouhani said the measures to contain the novel virus will be implemented in a stricter way in the capital city of Tehran.
The president once again thanked all medical personnel who have been actively involved in treating coronavirus patients and containing the spread of the disease.
President Rouhani also said that the novel coronavirus pandemic has affected all countries such as Germany,however, Iran’s economy will register positive growth till yearend.
Speaking in a meeting of Coronavirus Combat and Prevention Headquarters yesterday, Rouhani said that Germany’s economy has recorded a 5.2% percent of shrinking since the start of the outbreak. “This is an advanced country that neither is under sanctions nor has any problems. Our economy will have better conditions than this figure and our economic growth minus oil will be positive till the yearend.”
He emphasized that coronavirus does not recognize the poor and rich and to deal with it requires national determination with a sense of social and moral responsibility, adding, “The only way to deal with coronavirus and break the transmission chain is prevention, and this prevention is possible with the participation of all members of society.”
“We must do something to strengthen empathy, coordination and synergy in the country, and we must all join hands to ensure the health and livelihood of the people in the current situation of confronting coronavirus,” he said, according to the President’s press service.
Rouhani appreciated about 8 months of dedicated efforts of the country’s medical staff in the fight against coronavirus, and stated, “People’s appreciation to the medical staff is possible by wearing masks, observing physical distance and health instructions.”
The President further thanked all the departments, including the knowledge-based companies, which are working on research in the field of vaccine production and the construction of equipment needed by medical centers to fight against coronavirus, and said, “The production of the first human vaccine by these companies is commendable.”
