Rouhani: The coronavirus epidemic period will be long

Speaking on Saturday at the session of the National Task Force for Fighting Coronavirus, President Hassan Rouhani said, “Our red line in fighting coronavirus is the country's ability to maintain health and medical care, and epidemics must always be below this red line and the country's health sector’s ability”.

Stating that the activities of the health sector in the fight against coronavirus are focused on vulnerable groups, Rouhani stressed: “The coronavirus epidemic period will be long and we don’t know when it will end, and in such an environment, health protocols must be followed carefully”.

Referring to the report presented at the meeting on the readiness of the Ministry of Health to fight the disease in the country, Rouhani said, “According to this report, 1,200 centers across the country are ready to take samples and test people, and 17,500 health centers across the country are ready to provide health services to the people, which is a great honor for the country”.

Mentioning that scientific and research activities and clinical work have been carried out during this period and according to statistics, 1,099 patients have been tested so far in the framework of these activities, Rouhani said: “Fortunately, the country's medical staff is not only active in providing health and medical services to patients, but it has made great efforts in the field of science, while Iran ranks 15th in the world in terms of scientific rank and 1st in the region and the world of Islam”.

He also went on to state that two drugs that have been effective in treating coronavirus have been identified and are being used in the country, saying: “In the past, people used to be sent to Europe and the United States for treatment, but today many people travel to Iran for treatment, and even some surgeries, such as organ transplants in Iran, are performed in the best possible way”.

Rouhani emphasized: “Now we have to pay attention to the fact that this epidemic will be long-term and there is no definite end to it until we can access the approved vaccine, and people should not imagine that this problem will be solved in 15 days or a month by observing health protocols”.

Referring to the Minister of Health and Medical Education's report on the increase in the spread of the disease in a region due to holding a wedding ceremony, Rouhani: “Everybody must observe health protocols”.

Rouhani added: “People should be aware that what they consider for the future should not be limited to a week or a month, but should continue for several months and at least until the end of the year, and this should be the basis for the society and social activities”.

“People's activities related to their lives and businesses and cultural issues, such as holding congregational prayers, worship and prayers in mosques, must be carried out in accordance with health protocols,” said  Rouhani.

The President continued: “We must put aside gatherings and receptions such as weddings, mourning and traditional family gatherings”.

Rouhani emphasized that in order to carry out social activities, we must use cyberspace and the Internet in the first place and the second priority should be the real space, adding: “All sectors must provide the conditions for people to receive services through this space”.

Pointing out that most of the activities of the country's health sector are carried out in cyberspace today, Rouhani said: “Part of the training and education should be done online”.

Rouhani emphasized that we must fight anxiety and rumors in the society and not make things big, saying: “The country's ability to do medical work is considered as the ceiling of activities in the country, which includes hospital facilities, including diagnostic devices, ICU beds and ventilators”.

Rouhani said: “We should not make people anxious and worried, while people should follow the instructions and try not to be obsessed”.

“Providing the needs of the health sector for fighting coronavirus, providing necessary services to the public, providing essential goods and providing support packages to the needy are the government’s four important tasks, and all these tasks are being carried out well,” said Rouhani.

The President added: “People should not have any worries about the supply of basic goods, because we have provided all that is needed, and the situation is getting better day by day”. (ILKHA)