Why the COVID-19 Is Not Significantly Reduced in Iran?

Mohammad  Asgharzadeh; Behroz  Mahdavipoor; Vahid  Asgharzadeh; Mahya  Pourostadi; Hossein  Samadi Kafil; Ali  Vegari; Zahra  Taghinejad; Adel  Bairamy; Jalil Rashedi

doi:10.18502/ijph.v50i7.6616

Mohammad Asgharzadeh Biotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Paramedicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Behroz Mahdavipoor Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Paramedicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Vahid Asgharzadeh Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Mahya Pourostadi Medical Philosophy and History Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Hossein Samadi Kafil Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Ali Vegari Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
Zahra Taghinejad Hematology and Oncology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Adel Bairamy Valiasr Tabriz Seminary, Tabriz, Iran
Jalil Rashedi Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v50i7.6616

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; Transmission; Crowding; Isolation; Quarantine

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was transported from China to Iran via passengers. The virus is transmitted through droplets from coughing, sneezing, talking and contact with infected surfaces. Due to high transmissibility in places such as clinics, medical offices, buses and offices where there are large crowds, it spread rapidly in Iran and caused the mortality of a significant number of people, especially the elderly with underlying disease. Preventing travel and gatherings, as well as applying house quarantine in Apr 2020, reduced COVID-19 somewhat but then due to lack of attention to social distancing, reducing the use of masks by the people and inappropriate decisions by the national committee on combating coronavirus (NCCC), including reducing the working hours of public offices and shops, reducing the staff of government offices, monopoly on the distribution of essential materials and supplies, the presence of overcrowding in clinics of medical centers, hospitals, and private clinics caused the decline of the disease in the country to decrease. Measures can be taken to prevent the spread of the virus as much as possible, including: rapid detection of infected people, their isolation, contact tracing, quarantine of people over 65 and under 15, protection of the elderly, prevention of gatherings, forcing the use of protective equipment in possible gatherings, and electronicizing public services.