Daily Times

Iran continues to bring back its citizens from abroad, secretary of Association of Iranian Airlines Maghsoud Assadi Samani revealed.

“Flights will be based on demands and the cooperation of the embassies is in place as well, however usual flights are still not permitted,” he said.

“It is expected that Iranian citizens would return back to the country by flights from Spain, Austria, Slovakia,” Samani added.

“So far more than 14,000 people have returned to the country, but the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development has the precise statistics,” he said.

“These airlines are facing losses since they fly half-empty to bring back the citizens of Iran, but considering the necessity, they’re are obligated to do so,” Samani added.

“The cost of flight for an empty plane will not be charged for passengers, and they would pay for one way ticket,” he said.

The official said that the amount of flights has been reduced by some 80 percent, and the domestic flights depend on the market demands.

Iran’s Head of Contagious Diseases Department at the Ministry of Health said that only less than 0.5 percent of Iranians were infected with by the coronavirus COVID-19, so no herd immunity is true in the country.

So far, 99,970 people in the country have been infected with the coronavirus among whom 80,475 recovered, according to the Iranian Health Ministry on May 06.

“We are ‘a long way’ from herd immunity of COVID-19 in Iran, so people should not think we can go back to normal,” he stressed.

The health official warned, “Since the disease does not yet have a specific vaccine and drug, and herd immunity has not been occurred in the society, so the vast majority of the society is still at risk.”

He described following all health protocols and recommendations as the best way to keep the nation safe from the COVID-19.