Second Iranian Covid-19 Vaccine Tested on Volunteers

Iran’s second coronavirus vaccine candidate was administered to a small group of 13 volunteers, which had not shown a significant side effect in an earlier clinical trial, paving the way for the start of the first phase of human testing.
“Developed by Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, the protein-based vaccine, dubbed Razi Cov Pars, is scheduled to be tested on 120 volunteers in the next phase,” Saeed Kalantari, the head of the research team behind the vaccine, was quoted as saying by ISNA.
“The first phase will most likely conclude by May and the second phase will involve 500 participants,” he added.
An individual will need two intramuscular injections and one intranasal dose of Razi CoV Pars before they are immunized against the deadly coronavirus.
Iran’s first experimental vaccine manufactured by the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order is ahead of schedule and will soon launch the second phase of clinical trials.
President Hassan Rouhani on Monday said next year is the year of conquering the coronavirus, as “vaccines will gradually be imported into the country and local vaccines will be distributed”.
The president pointed out that the spread of the outbreak cannot be stopped early in the year. 
Health officials estimate that enough Iranians will be vaccinated against the disease by the end of 2021 for them to achieve herd immunity.

Pediatric Hospitalizations Rise

Tehran’s Governor General Mohsen Anoushirvan Bandpey on Monday expressed concerns about the 11.1% increase in hospitalizations of children infected with the novel coronavirus.
“Our main concern is the rise in hospitalizations among children under 10 years,” Bandpey said, pointing out that only 2-3% of hospitalizations used to be children under the age of 10.
The official also stressed the need for strict adherence to health protocols, especially during the days leading to the start of the Iranian New Year (March 21).
According to Tehran’s coronavirus taskforce, 192,000 have been hospitalized in the capital’s hospitals since the viral infection was spotted in the country.
“The Health Ministry reported 8,300 freshly identified coronavirus infections on Monday, taking the total tally of cases to 1.698 million,” spokeswoman for the ministry, Sima Sadat Lari, said.
“Over the past 24 hours, 99 Covid-19 patients lost their lives, bringing the national death toll to 60,786.”
Lari said nearly 1.5 million Iranians have recovered from the respiratory illness and over 3,800 are hospitalized in ICU units across the country.
“Iran has administered 11.33 million diagnostic tests since the start of the pandemic to identify infections,” she said.
Countries throughout the world have registered a total of 117.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 2.6 million fatalities.