Tuesday, 09 February 2021 (YJC)_Iran started nationwide COVID-19 vaccination using the Sputnik V vaccine.
In a ceremony on Tuesday and upon the order by Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, Iran started nationwide COVID-19 vaccination using the Sputnik V vaccine.
The ceremony held in Imam Khomeini Hospital of Tehran and several other centers across the country.
The first person who got the vaccination today was the son of Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki.
Namaki said that the country has chosen one of the less dangerous vaccines after assessing the most credible vaccines available.
From the very beginning Iran insisted that it imports a vaccine only if it has already undertaken the third phase of its human trial.
“Iran has also bought some 16.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from COVAX for vaccination of 8.4 million people, however more vaccines are still needed to be imported,” Namaki said.
In a video-conference speech, Rouhani said he had been ready to be the first person to be vaccinated and assured the Iranian nation that officials of the country are always ready to get first shots of any vaccine used in the country.
Iran took delivery of the first batch of Sputnik-V vaccines from Russia on February 4.