The “Supreme Leader” of the Islamic Republic met with “few selected nurses” on the “Nurse Day” in regime’s calendar and spewed the same old rhetoric. Immediately, Health Minister issued a statement thanking the “leader” for meeting with nurses! Khamenei met with nurses last year as well, ordering new hires, better pays,… which none of them was delivered and till today, healthcare staff are struggling to make ends meet and protest for their months-long overdue wages and benefits.
On the other hand, Secretary of Scientific Committee at National COVID-19 Task Force admitted students are testing positive for the novel coronavirus in schools. Dr. Jama’ati emphasized that if “all protocols” are not followed, reopening of schools could risk another wave of COVID-19 in Iran. Islamic Republic pushed to reopen schools from mid-November and according to officials, on average 150 students per day test positive in Tehran alone. Students 12-17 years old received the unapproved and ineffective Sinopharm. Officials confessed that only about 24% of students received 2 doses of the vaccine when schools were reopened! Meanwhile, the regime officials continue to insist on in-person final exams across the country.
WHO recommends 3 doses of the Chinese shot for “full vaccination” status. But, since February 9, only 2,745,192 (3.26% of Iran population) have received 3 jabs of these vaccines. Khamenei banned US and UK made vaccines in January, promoting the “homegrown” COVIran Barekat which failed miserably. Bahonar admitted the task was beyond regime’s capability and was forced to import. In the process, however, thousands were massacred, especially during the Delta wave.
Despite low and slow vaccination, and people’s hesitation to immunize using the vaccines used in Iran, Islamic Republic has reopened all businesses and launched its “smart quarantine” plan which requires everybody to have a vaccination card or negative PCR, including government employees.
The Ministry of Health Spokesperson claimed 42 have died of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours and 2,706 tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Professor of Epidemiology at Tehran University believes these numbers must be multiplied by 7 and Civil Registration Organization data show more than 313,000 have died of the disease since February 2020. Graphs illustrate the ongoing crisis in Iran and forming of the new wave.
R0: 1.75
Total: 6,157,519 (+2,706)
Dead: 130,764 (+42)
Recovered: 5,975,404
Critical: 3,069 (-35)
Active Cases: 51,351 (-3,149)
Total Tests: 40,157,086
Cover: Foroogh TaherKhani
