Obligatory mask in certain public places and green light to the reinstatement of restrictive measures: faced with an epidemic which does not weaken, the Iranian government decreed the remobilization Sunday, the day after a call of the supreme guide to vigilance.
The country hardest hit by the pandemic in the Middle East, Iran has recorded a record 144 deaths in the past 24 hours, a high in almost three months which brings the national death toll to 10,508 deaths.
On Saturday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei deplored that initial efforts to contain the disease had “diminished on the part of certain people and authorities”, warning that the country’s economic problems would worsen in the event of an uncontrolled spread of the epidemic.
Iran has never imposed mandatory containment, but authorities have repeatedly called on the public to wear a mask in public, before deciding that its use would be mandatory in “covered spaces where there are groupings” from Next Saturday, start of the week in Iran.
Calling on the Iranians to prepare to face the virus “in the long term”, President Hassan Rohani announced that the measure will have to be applied until July 22 and may be extended if necessary, during a meeting of the National Committee of fight against the pandemic broadcast by state television.
Rohani added that the Ministry of Health had prepared a list of places of regrouping at risk, without giving details on possible sanctions in case of non-compliance with the measure.
According to Deputy Minister of Health Iraj Harirchi, “services will not be provided” to those who do not wear masks in places such as “government offices and shopping malls”.
As of Saturday, the health ministry launched a “I wear a mask” campaign to encourage Iranians to respect health protocols.
However, the application of the measure could be difficult because, according to the mayor of Tehran Pirouz Hanachi, many people do not wear masks, especially in public transport in the capital where it is already compulsory.
“(Only) 50% of metro passengers wear masks (…) and even less on buses,” regretted Mr. Hanachi, quoted by the semi-official agency Isna, adding that he did not have the means to enforce the measure.
– “Indifference” –
Official figures show an upward trend in new confirmed cases since early May, when Iran reached a low level of new infections.
In the past 24 hours, 2,489 new cases have been recorded, bringing the total to 222,699, while such a number of deaths (144 in a day) had not been recorded since April 5.
Authorities canceled public events, closed non-essential businesses, and banned travel between provinces in March before gradually lifting restrictions from April to try to revive the country’s economy, stifled by re-imposed US sanctions by Washington after its withdrawal in 2018 from the Iranian nuclear agreement.
But the epidemic does not weaken, the authorities resolved Sunday to give the green light to the provinces most affected – those classified “red” according to the scale of risk established by the authorities – to restore restrictions to their population .
According to Mr. Rohani, the authorization will also be extended to the provinces with “red” counties – provincial subdivision.
“The provincial committee of any ‘red’ county may propose to reimpose limits for one week” and these can be extended if necessary, he said.
Zanjan county (northwest) has already reimposed such measures for two weeks, said its governor Aliréza Asgari on Sunday, adding that the decision had been taken due to “a certain indifference on the part of the residents” and “the resumption of the number of deaths in recent weeks”.
Restrictions include closing wedding halls and banning funerals held in mosques as they can lead to large gatherings, added Asgari.
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