Adequate Public Immunity Against Covid-19 Expected by December

EghtesadOnline: Health Minister Bahram Einollahi announced on Sunday that with current vaccination rates, Iran can achieve adequate immunity by late November and December.

News ID: ۷۸۷۲۷۴

08 November 2021

“We expect the majority of the population to build immunity against Covid by December,” the health official was quoted as saying by IRNA.

Pointing out that immunity cannot be fully acquired with one dose of the vaccine, he added, “After the first shot, some 50-60% immunity is developed.”

According to him, true immunity is achieved two months after the second shot is administered.

“Those who have received the first and second shots in September and October will build immunity in December,” the minister said.

Iran ramped up vaccine rollout in late summer when most of the population were inoculated with the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine after large shipments of it were delivered by the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

So far, nearly 55 million people have been given a first Covid shot and 38 million have been fully vaccinated against the disease.

The Health Ministry is almost finished with giving booster shots to healthcare personnel who mostly received their shot in early spring and it is ready give the third jab to the elderly over the age of 60.

Iran failed to immunize its population of 85 million people with its limited supply of local coronavirus vaccine.

Latest data released by the Food and Drug Administration showed that local pharmaceutical companies are now producing 10 million vaccine doses a month.

Head of Iran’s FDA, Heydar Mohammadi, said homegrown vaccine production will accelerate in the coming months.

“SHIFAPHARMED (manufacturer of Barekat) and Cinnagen (producer of Spikogen) are delivering seven million shots to the Health Ministry every month,” Mohammadi noted.

Manufacturers of Pasteurcovac, Razi Cov Pars and Fakhravac each are also supplying the ministry with one million shots a month.