Virus-ravaged Iran finds brief respite with mass vaccination

By NASSER KARIMI and ISABEL DEBRE
Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — While the West sees vaccination rates slowing and infections soaring with the spread of omicron, Iran for once is not seeing grim COVID-19 statistics dominate the headlines. Iran, which has been pummeled by successive virus waves for nearly two years, has found a brief, hopeful respite in mass vaccination. Whereas citizens in richer countries got jabbed early last year and watched the shot’s effectiveness against infection decline even as defenses against hospitalization and death remained strong, Iranians have received doses in recent months and are feeling off the hook. Still, the threat of omicron looms large. The contrast in pandemic responses between new hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi and his relatively moderate predecessor has bred skepticism.