Iran will begin vaccination early summer if the domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine is successfully tested next month, to spokesperson of the Ministry of Health Sima Sadat Lari, Trend reports citing İRNA.
Lari made the remarks speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of a provincial headquarters of the fight against the coronavirus disease in the northern province of Mazandaran.
She said that four Iranian companies are now working to make a COVID-19 vaccine, one of which is scheduled to begin testing its vaccine within the next couple of weeks.
Iran is negotiating with India, Russia and China to buy vaccine and is also pursuing to purchase vaccine from COVAX which is a global initiative of 186 member countries, including Iran, the spokeswoman said.
She said that US sanctions against Iran, have created difficulties for currency exchanges for buying the vaccine and even paying the country’s share to COVAX.
Ms. Lari said, however, that the Iranian officials will continue with their demand for vaccines. She added that Iran has received promising reports over the past few days.