Following the relevant protocols of the Food and Drug Administration for the development of vaccines against new strains, two domestic companies have completed their studies for the production of vaccines against the Omicron variant and will enter the clinical phase, after receiving the code of ethics.

Hamidreza Jamaati, Secretary of the National Scientific Committee against Coronavirus, said that Iran has started developing this vaccine at the same time as developed countries and leading vaccine companies in the world.

A knowledge-based company also developed a technological test kit to diagnose the new Omicron strain.

Iranian Health Minister Bahram Einollahi has announced the beginning of a new wave of coronavirus pandemic, as the number of infected people with the Omicron variant is surging.

The minister urged more caution against the disease and said getting booster vaccinations could play a major role in preventing a fresh surge in the number of deaths and infections from the virus.

Homegrown vaccines

Einollahi has said five coronavirus vaccines have been so far produced domestically.

Made by researchers at the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam, COVIRAN Barkat was the first homegrown vaccine unveiled on December 29, 2020, and received the license for public use on June 14.

The second Iranian-made vaccine developed by the Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute (Razi Cov Pars) started the clinical trial on February 27.

The Iranian-Australian Spikogen vaccine joined the national vaccination process in November 2021.

Developed jointly by the Pasteur Institute of Iran and Cuba’s Finlay Vaccine Institute, the Pastu Covac prevented symptomatic disease in people inoculated with three doses by 65 percent and its effectiveness in the prevention of severe disease and hospitalization was 96.5 percent.

Iran is one of the few countries that has all vaccine production platforms, Mohammad Reza Shanehsaz, former head of the Iranian Food and Drug Administration, said in June.

Meanwhile, World Health Organization (WHO) representative to Iran Jaffar Hussain said in September that the Organization was collecting the necessary information for the registration and certification of Iranian-made coronavirus vaccines.

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Developed jointly by the Pasteur Institute of Iran and Cuba’s Finlay Vaccine Institute, the vaccine is called Soberana 02 in Cuba and Pastu Covac in Iran.

Pastu Covac is the only homegrown vaccine available for injection in children aged 2-18, he said, adding, clinical trials have shown that the vaccine is highly efficient and safe.

The vaccine prevented symptomatic disease in people inoculated with three doses by 65 percent and its effectiveness in the prevention of severe disease and hospitalization was 96.5 percent, he stated.

So far, 15 million doses of the vaccine have been produced, 8 million of which have been used in the vaccination process and the rest are ready to be delivered to the ministry, Biglari said.

He went on to say that the monthly production capacity of this vaccine is about five million doses and can be increased.

It is a conjugate vaccine with two injectable doses, which consists of the receptor-binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein conjugated chemically to tetanus toxoid.

The two first phases of the human trial have been conducted in Cuba, while the third phase was carried out on 24,000 volunteers in Iran and 44,000 volunteers in Cuba.

It is the only vaccine in the world that can fight several mutations simultaneously, Biglari said in July.

Homegrown vaccines

Health Minister Bahram Einollahi has said five coronavirus vaccines have been so far produced domestically.

Made by researchers at the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam, COVIRAN BAREKAT was unveiled on December 29, 2020, and received the license for public use on June 14.

It proved effective against Indian strain, according to Hojjat Niki-Maleki, head of the information center of Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam.

Eleven countries from Asia and South America, and a European country have asked for importing COVIRAN vaccine, Hassan Jalili, the vaccine’s production manager, said in June.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, 14 vaccines are being domestically developed in the country which are in different study phases.

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Of all the ancient Persian festivals, only two are celebrated by Iranians worldwide — Yalda night (the birth of a new sun) and Noruz or Persian New Year (the birth of a new day).

The story of Yalda may perhaps be interpreted as a tale of courage and effort during darkness, a triumph of light and human warmth that ultimately causes the spring to bloom in hearts.

Nationally called “Shab-e Yalda” or “Shab-e-Chelleh”, it literally means the night of the forty. This refers to the first forty days of winter that are often the coldest and toughest to bear.

Falling on December 21 this year, Shab-e Yalda needs the empathy of the nation to prevent the new variant.

Omicron transmission is three times faster than delta, and since the outbreak of the virus, people have 17 days to control and prevent the spread of the disease by following health protocols and injecting a third dose of vaccine.

On Sunday, the National Headquarters for Coronavirus Control proposed to tighten restrictions, closing all public places such as cinemas, restaurants, amphitheaters, concert halls, sports clubs, as well as even schools and universities.

The remarkable thing about Omicron is that, unlike Delta, it is not so fatal and is much weaker. So that, an important way to prevent and control the spread of the virus is to avoid parties and gatherings.

The first case of the Omicron COVID-19 variant was identified in Iran on Sunday.

The first case was a man who had traveled to the United Arab Emirates. He has been identified [with the Omicron] in Tehran. One or two other suspected cases are being examined.

Omicron, which has raised global fears of a surge in infections, was first detected in southern Africa earlier this month and has prompted governments across the globe to impose travel restrictions and take other measures to try and contain it.

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First identified in South Africa on November 24, Omicron mutant has been designated as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Alireza Zali, head of the coronavirus control working group in Tehran said that Omicron has been reported to have 50 mutations, 30 of which are key and highly contagious, which is why it has attracted global attention.

It will take time to learn more about Omicron to determine the biological behavior and response to vaccine and immunity of this strain, there is still no evidence to confirm the observation of this strain in the country and basic preventive measures should be taken to control and monitor borders and airports, he explained.

The sixth wave of the pandemic has not hit the country yet if people follow the health procedures, he stated, IRNA reported.

Preventive measures to deal with the new strain must be taken strictly in the country, and adherence to health practices is necessary, he concluded.

On November 27, the health ministry has said it has adopted new regulations to prevent the new variant.

There are no direct flights from Iran to South Africa and travelers are not allowed to enter Iran, Iranians who want to travel must also be quarantined at the border to have two negative PCR tests.

Foreign tourists must buy coronavirus insurance from authorized companies when entering the country, and if they suffer from the pandemic in Iran, they will be provided with a place and treatment for 14 days.

Inbound passengers must have coronavirus insurance, which differs from the routine insurance coverage purchased by all tourists before the coronavirus era.

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