TEHRAN (Iran News) – Every day we face some news and reports regarding the COVID-19 vaccines that Iranian officials are to import or the related bodies are working on producing the domestic-made vaccine and the controversy on the issue is on the rise.

One should know that COVID-19 is a modern day disaster which has rattled the world and it has killed more than 3 million people worldwide and damaged economies, and most countries especially the rich ones are investing in producing vaccines and so far some companies have been able to send their vaccines into the markets and other ones are in the lines but no one is sure of their one hundred person effectiveness.

American, European, Chinese and Russian made COVID-19 vaccines have rolled into the market but they have faced different reactions from the world. Of course, politicizing the matter has worsened the case as some countries have taken offensive stand against Russian and Chinese made vaccines and also some have taken the same stand against the American and European made ones.

In Iran since the first day when manufacture of different types of vaccines was announced, the reactions were the same and some jumped to defense of domestic made vaccines, some backed European and American ones and others defended Chinese and Russian made vaccines. Unfortunately the issue has been politicized and it has led to some disputes even among the related health bodies in the country.

After outstanding efforts by the health officials in the country to contain the wave of the pandemic in the first three peaks, the number of infected people and even the death toll of COVID-19 in the country fell sharply. Some lockdown measures and observing the sanitary protocols like social distancing, wearing face mask and washing hands were essential in the fall in the number of the infected.

But a carelessness and indifference both by the public and the officials triggered another wave in surge in the number of the infected, and the daily death number once again became 3-digit and officials sounded warning about the future and they again started the blame game.

Regarding the return of the fourth peak of the virus and the rise in the number of the casualties, unfortunately officials have started to criticize each other for their inefficiency and every organ tries to acquit itself and put the blame on the others but the truth is that all of us should be blamed: people for their not observing the sanitary protocols and officials for their lax attitude and not imposing appropriate lockdown measures for the New Year holidays and not providing vaccines till the domestic-made vaccines are rolled into the market.

As most of domestic and foreign experts believe and say, vaccine is crucial but it is not by itself enough for not contracting the virus. The effectiveness of the vaccines vary but they help people to be immune against the severe disease and even those who are vaccinated may contract the virus but slightly.

Almost all experts have reiterated that people should observe sanitary protocols even after vaccination in order to curb this deadly virus. No matter which type of vaccine is used, all of them just would slow down the pace of the virus and observing the health protocols are more crucial.

Hopefully, Iranian-made COVID-19 vaccines are to come into the market by July and officials are trying to import other types of vaccines to help the public, and some people are better to stop politicizing the issue of the vaccine for the sake of lives of the nation.

In such conditions, people and officials should remain united and work together to overcome the problems rather than blaming each other. So far over 66,000 people have lost their lives in the country and we should not let the number increase through sticking to unity and observing the health protocols because vaccine is not the only solution and it will take time all of the people to be vaccinated in the country. Officials should not waste the time by emphasizing the domestic or foreign made vaccines and they should use whichever is effective and useful no matter what politically biased people say.

By the way, health officials and the national anti-Coronavirus headquarters should do their best to provide vaccines for the people either the domestic or foreign ones because the winner of this effort will both the government and the nation and in case of defeat, all together will be losers and blaming each other is vain.