Speaking on Wednesday evening, President of Iran's Academy of Medical Sciences (IAP) Seyed Alireza Marandi pointed to the issuance of the permit for emergency use of COV-Iran Barekat by the Health Ministry, adding, “The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stresses on receiving an Iranian vaccine. This vaccine is the result of efforts of young Iranian scientists and creates a high level of immunity.”
Ayatollah Khamenei, Marandi continued, had set two conditions for having the vaccine; first, the vaccination would not be performed out of turn and second, the vaccine should be an Iranian one. “This was the reason he refused to receive foreign vaccines when the vaccination of above 80-year-old individuals started in Iran.”
All those above 80 have already received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine with doses imported into the country from COVAX, China, and Russia.
According to the Health Ministry, several centers are conducting research on developing COVID-19 vaccines in the country. COV-Iran Barekat has received the emergency permit and reports suggest that the one developed jointly by Pasteur Institute of Iran and Cuba will also get the permit in the next week.
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