No Plan for Shutdowns as New Covid Wave Hits

In response to circulation of rumors surrounding the closure of schools and universities to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the Health Ministry on Tuesday in a statement denied any plans for quarantine measures. 
“The National Coronavirus Headquarters and the Health Ministry have made no decisions to impose restrictions or close workplaces,” the ministry’s Public Relations Center was quoted as saying by ISNA. 
Covid infections have been slowly rising in the past two weeks as three highly contagious offshoots of Omicron were detected in the country. 
“[The ministry] has only advised the public to wear facemasks in enclosed spaces, complete vaccination and administer booster doses,” the statement added. 
When the first wave of the disease arrived in Iran in early 2021, the government closed down schools and universities and switched to e-learning for almost two years in a bid to stem the spread of the contagion. 
Health experts suggest that the eighth wave, fueled by Omicron subvariants, has already hit the nation and it is estimated to peak sometime in late March. 
Studies carried out by other countries suggest that the variants cause less severe disease than previous strains but the virus’s behavior can undergo change in any given region due to genetic and environmental variables. 
According to the Health Ministry’s daily update, more than 22,000 coronavirus shots have been given in the past 24 hours as people rush to vaccination centers to boost immunity levels before they contract the new variants. 
The ministry registered 109 new infections on Tuesday, a sharp rise compared to the two-digit figures reported in the last few months. 
At least seven more patients lost their lives to the dangerous virus on the same day, taking the total death toll to 144,717.