Iran receives new batch of Sputnik-V vaccine

The shipment contains 400 thousand doses of the vaccine including 200 thousand first shots and 200 thousand second shots of the jab. 

Iran has speeded up its vaccination campaign in recent weeks to contain the Coronavirus pandemic. The inoculation caused the fifth Covid-19 peak to subside in Iran. 

Authorities also put in place strict health protocols that were conducive to the downward trend in deaths, infections and hospitalizations. 

Most Iranians have received at least one dose of the vaccine now. Millions have also been fully inoculated. But officials are warning against laxity in observing the health protocols, saying that could lead to the sixth peak of the pandemic. 

The decrease in the number of new infections prompted authorities to relax some health measures like nighttime driving and traveling bans. This has tempted citizens to travel to tourist destinations across Iran by their millions. A report aired by the IRIB said that the boom in travels within a few days has increased the number of infections over the past few days. 

According to the Wednesday report of the Health Ministry, Covid-19 has killed 194 more people in Iran over the past 24 hours. The deaths push the total fatalities to 123,275 since the pandemic started. Meanwhile, 12,298 people tested positive for Covid in the last day, of whom 1,699 people were hospitalized.