Iran to Roll out Domestic Covid-19 Vaccine by June

Iran aims to bolster its national inoculation drive by June when its first experimental vaccine is expected to be approved for use by the general public, the head of the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order announced.
“In two or two and a half months, we’ll no longer have any concerns about Covid-19 vaccines,” Mohammad Mokhber was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
Dubbed COV Iran Barkat, the vaccine was developed by EIKO, which is planning to launch the second and third phases of human trials simultaneously this week to speed up the process.
Mokhber said, “We think we can start mass vaccination by mid-May or early June.”
Iran has so far imported coronavirus vaccine jabs from Russia and China, and will soon receive a shipment of 400,000 shots from India’s Bharat Biotech.
The tally of coronavirus infections across the country crossed the 1.7 million mark on Tuesday, following the detection of 8,500 new cases, the spokeswoman of Health Ministry, Sima Sadat Lari, said.
“Over the past 24 hours, 81 Covid-19 patients lost their lives, bringing the total death toll to 60,867,” she added.
Iran is currently vaccinating its frontline health workers, elderly population and disabled veterans against the respiratory illness.