Vaccination is underway for people above 80 years of age, and no one will be left unvaccinated despite the start of vaccination in the younger age groups, he added.

On April 27, vaccination of the elderly began with priority given to people aged 80 and above, IRNA reported on Saturday.

According to the Ministry of Health, about 3.2 million coronavirus vaccines have been imported into the country so far. Some 1,713,648 people received the first dose and 342,950 people have also received the second dose so that the total number of vaccines injected in the country has reached 2,056,598 doses.

Mass vaccination against COVID-19 started on Iranian citizens with the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine on February 9.

While Iran continues efforts to mass-produce local candidates, several foreign vaccines have already been imported and others are expected soon.

Iran is currently producing vaccines jointly with three countries of Cuba, Russia, and Australia, which may also be released by September.

Domestic vaccines

COVIRAN BAREKAT, the first coronavirus vaccine made by Iranian researchers, started the third phase of the human trial in early May by being administrated to 20,000 people.

Developed by researchers at the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam, the vaccine was unveiled on December 29, 2020, and started to be mass-produced on March 29.

Meanwhile, a vaccine developed by the Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute (Razi Cov Pars) is expected to become the second Iranian-made vaccine to be administered among the population in early August; which started the clinical trial on February 27.

Iran has also successfully completed the first phase of the human trial for Fakhra vaccine, the third domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine, named after nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh (he was assassinated in November 2020 near Tehran), that was unveiled and started the clinical trial on March 16.

“Osvid-19”, the fourth domestic vaccine produced by Osvah Pharmaceutical Company is also undergoing human trials, which will also be available in early September.

New cases and mortalities

In a press briefing on Saturday, Health Ministry’s spokesperson, Sima-Sadat Lari, confirmed 7,723 new cases of COVID-19 infection, raising the total number of infections to 2,739,875. She added that 2,210,851 patients have so far recovered, but 5,396 remain in critical conditions of the disease.

During the past 24 hours, 200 patients have lost their lives, bringing the total number of deaths to 76,633, she added.

So far, 17,882,461 COVID-19 diagnostic tests have been performed in the country.

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He said that currently, million-strong doses of foreign vaccines have been imported for vaccination,

President hoped for providing home-made vaccines in the summer.

He said that tourism is an important economic sector in Iran, adding that revitalizing tourism will be helpful for the national economy.

President Rouhani hailed reports of a growing number of tourists visiting Iran over the last few years.

He pointed to opening over 2,200 tourism projects during the incumbent government, saying that some 670 hotels are now under construction.

Earlier, the secretary of the biotechnology development department in Iran’s presidential office Mostafa Qanei said that the necessary doses for inoculation against the coronavirus will be provided through purchase and domestic production and that the public vaccination will be complete by winter 2022.

Iran is to provide around 16 million doses of vaccines through the World Health Organization’s COVAX program, 25 million doses through import, and 25 million through domestic production, he added.

He previously said that  As long as the indigenous vaccine has not arrived, the use of foreign one is a necessity, President Rouhani said at the national anti-coronavirus headquarters meeting in Tehran. Since the outbreak of coronavirus worldwide more than a year ago, the people experienced difficult days, President Rouhani said calling for following health protocols to contain the pandemic. At his remarks, the President appreciated round-the-clock efforts made by the medical personnel to fight the deadly virus as the number of dead in Iran has dropped and reached a two-digit number.

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“In this meeting, it was announced that all efforts are being made to start the vaccination in the country in the month of Bahman, God willing, and this is a very important job,” he told a meeting of the national task force for fighting the coronavirus in Tehran on Saturday.

Rouhani said that in the next Persian calendar year, which starts on March 21, three Iranian vaccines will be available.

Some of these vaccines are completely homegrown and the remaining are joint products, he added.

Iran will receive over 16 million doses of vaccines from COVAX, a multi-agency group dedicated to assuring fair access to vaccines for low- and middle-income countries, Rouhani said, adding that the country will also try to procure vaccines from elsewhere.

“The domestic vaccine is an honor for us, and the foreign vaccine is a necessity … until the domestic one is available,” he emphasized.

He also stated It was not clear how long the Corona deaths will continue.

“We have to thank the people and the medical staff for the achievement, and the death toll has declined to double-digit due to efforts of all,” added he.

Stating that the reduction of the death toll is an honor the president added, “Even though some countries in the world are more powerful in terms of industry and medical facilities, but at the same time their suffering is very high and they are not completely able to control the disease.”

Underlining that the declining death toll does not mean that the conditions are favorable and that 70 people die a day is not a small number as well, Rouhani added, in many areas, the number of death tolls was declining, but in some provinces, it had stopped, and this can be worrying.

Rouhani also voiced concern about the mutation of COVId-19 elsewhere in the world special in Africa.

“The Coronavirus has not only not been weakened in the world, but it also has become more pathogenic and contagious,” he concluded.

Last month, Iran launched human trials of its first domestically-developed COVID-19 vaccine after successfully completing the initial steps and obtaining the necessary approvals.

In parallel with efforts at developing home-made vaccines, Iranian authorities have said the county has plans to purchase foreign brands that pass safety and efficiency tests.

However, inhumane U.S. sanctions have affected Iran’s ability to make the payment for importing vaccines as well as life-saving medical equipment.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has banned the import of COVID-19 vaccines from the United States and Britain but allowing the Iranian government to supply the vaccine from other reliable sources.

So far, 1,367,032 Iranians have been infected with COVID-19 in the country. More than 57,290 people have died, while 1,158,475 have recovered.

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