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2.0 Politics
2.1 Iran says it won’t buy Russia’s coronavirus vaccine
without WHO approval
Iran’s virus state of emergency to be lifted no earlier than January 2021 says president
Iran has said it will wait until the World Health Organisation (WHO) has approved Russia’s coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine before it makes a purchase from its ally, AFP reported on August 18.
Russia is the first country to offer its citizens a coronavirus vaccine. However, even though President Vladimir Putin has said his daughter has been given it, questions remain over its efficacy and safety from friends and foes alike because of the speed of development and fears that it has in no way gone through enough rigorous trials.
"We are waiting for the international community, including the World Health Organisation, before we buy this vaccine from Russia," said Alireza Zali, a member of Iran's governmental anti-COVID-19 taskforce.
"In order for the vaccine to be used, genuine and independent organisations such as the World Health Organisation must comment on it and approve it, which has not happened yet," he told a news conference in Tehran.
"After scientific approval... we will negotiate with Russia to get the vaccine," said Zali, who oversees efforts against the virus in the Iranian capital.
The official’s remarks came as Iran's health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari announced the latest 24-hour mortality figure for people diagnosed with the virus at 168 deaths.
BBC Persia lately reported that despite the official coronavirus death toll standing at 19,972 on August 18, leaked government documents showed deaths totalled well above 42,000 by that date.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has announced that the state of emergency imposed on the country in the face of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is to be kept in place at least until the end of January 2021.
"We have been in this situation for six months and we must prepare ourselves for another six months at least," Rouhani said in a statement posted on his website on August 9.
He added that any complete easing of public health restrictions is off the cards for now.
"We must find a middle way between normality and sticking to the virus restrictions," he said.
Iran has been easing its coronavirus restrictions for two months, but many Iranians have become too relaxed about the spread of the virus and the country has suffered a severe second spike in infections.
6 IRAN Country Report September 2020 www.intellinews.com
