TEHRAN – As the country is dealing with the fifth wave of the pandemic, all cities are now out of the high-risk red zones, IRNA reported on Saturday.

The highest category on Iran’s coronavirus risk scale is the red zone, which reaches lower risk areas by orange, yellow, and blue zones.

Eight cities are in the orange zones, 119 in the yellow category, and 321 cities are in blue zones, and no cities are red.

From the beginning of the prevalence of coronavirus in Iran (March 2020), the country has so far experienced fifth waves of the pandemic. The fifth wave began at the beginning of July.

The daily casualties also hit the record high several times, and on August 24, 709 daily deaths were recorded in the country which was the highest number of casualties from the beginning of the outbreak.

The number of deaths decreased to 58 on Saturday.

Since the beginning of the outbreak, 130,661 people have lost their lives.

Smart restriction plan

A national plan on COVID-19 restrictions will be operational in five stages, the first phase will kick off on Sunday, Hossein Qasemi, member of the committee of the National Headquarters for Coronavirus Control, said on Wednesday.

The plan is set on two types of measures, the first one is the general limitations once imposed to control the pandemic, which is done through an internet-based system (called Omid) newly designed and operated by the domestic knowledge-based companies.

The first phase of the project will be implemented on December 12 and will include executive agencies.

In this way, the employees of the executive agencies who provide services must be vaccinated, but those who do not get vaccinated whether for medical or other reasons, should have a PCR test every 15 days and report it to their workplace.

The second phase of the project starts one week after the first phase, which targets city transportation systems, including online taxis, in which the health status of the drivers is inquired so that they are allowed to operate.

In the third stage, which covers general, commercial, and entertainment services, the continuation of activity depends on getting vaccinated and receiving a QR code.

The fourth phase includes suburban transportation, including airplanes, trains, buses, and the maritime transportation system and personal cars, which are allowed to operate based on the required vaccinations and inquiries.

In the fifth phase, there are scientific, research, and educational units, including universities and seminaries, and they will work in accordance with the vaccination card,” he explained.

Contagious Omicron variant

By the emergence of a highly contagious Omicron variant, countries are adopting new regulations to prevent the transmission of the variant, so that the Iranian Health Ministry has taken measures in this regard.

Iran’s National Headquarters for Coronavirus Control on November 27 banned arrivals from the African countries of Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Swatini reacting to the new variant.

Omicron, which has raised global fears of a surge in infections, was first detected in southern Africa earlier this month and has prompted governments across the globe to impose travel restrictions and take other measures to try and contain it.

There are no direct flights from Iran to South Africa and travelers are not allowed to enter Iran, Iranians who want to travel must also be quarantined at the border to have two negative PCR tests.

Foreign tourists must buy coronavirus insurance from authorized companies when entering the country, and if they suffer from the pandemic in Iran, they will be provided with a place and treatment for 14 days.

Inbound passengers must have coronavirus insurance, which differs from the routine insurance coverage purchased by all tourists before the coronavirus era.

FB/MG