The secretary of Biotechnology Development Headquarters of the Iranian Vice Presidency for Science and Technology said on Monday that the administration is striving to supply the need for the coronavirus vaccine with homegrown and foreign products.
Iran will receive around 16 million doses of vaccine through the World Health Organization's COVAX program, import more than 25 million doses from abroad, and produce 25 million other doses inside the country, Mostafa Qanei added.
He said the first group of Iranians to get the vaccine this winter are the healthcare and medical personnel, the elderly, people with disabilities, and disabled war veterans.
In spring 2021, those over the age of 65, people with underlying diseases, and those in contact with the public due to their job will receive the coronavirus vaccine, he noted, saying other groups to be injected in summer and fall 2021 will include residents of crowded places and the elderly aged between 55 and 65 without an underlying disease.
Ultimately, all people in Iran will be vaccinated in winter next year, he said.
Qanei noted that nine Iranian companies are developing coronavirus vaccines, three of which have reached the clinical trial phase, pointing to the joint production of a vaccine with Cuba.