A study modeling COVID-19 mortality across 44 countries found a significant association between public face-covering policies and lower mortality in the 27 countries with such policies. Average deaths per million were reported as 48.40 in countries with face-mask policies, compared with 288.54 in countries without them. The findings support face-covering policies as a strategy to reduce COVID-19 deaths.

The post reports that Friday prayers took place in many Iranian cities despite warnings of a possible sixth COVID-19 wave. It also says that, starting the following day, employees who had not received at least one vaccine dose would not be allowed to work. The video features an interview with Sahar Matlabi, a physician and international population-health researcher, speaking from Malmö, Sweden.

The video features an Aparat interview with physician and population-health expert Sahar Matlabi, joining from Sweden, and performing-arts expert Farahnaz Gholampour, joining from Milan, about the film “Red Status,” directed by Behrouz Rostami.

A longitudinal analysis of 44 countries in Europe and Asia found that national face mask mandates were associated with substantially lower COVID‑19 mortality rates compared with countries without such mandates. After adjusting for demographic, social, healthcare, and policy factors, mortality increased more slowly in countries implementing mask policies, and the gap in death rates between mandate and non‑mandate countries widened over time. The study supports mask mandates as an effective nonpharmaceutical intervention to reduce COVID‑19 mortality, particularly before widespread vaccine availability, and identifies mask use as a valuable tool in managing airborne disease outbreaks.

BBC News Persian presents an interview with population health specialist Dr. Sahar Matlab about a “smart” plan for monitoring people who are vaccinated and unvaccinated against COVID-19. The discussion addresses what the plan entails and why some people oppose or resist it.

Iran says six million single-dose Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines have arrived for people aged 3 to 17, as the country begins vaccinating under-18s with the vaccine. The post notes that the World Health Organization has recommended only the Pfizer vaccine for ages 12 to 18 and introduces an interview with physician and public health researcher Sahar Matlabi.

Iran’s Food and Drug Administration says any vaccine import or export requires its authorization. The post recalls a previous report by Young Journal, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, claiming Iran produces two million doses of Sputnik V each month and transfers them to Russia. BBC News Persian presents a discussion with international population-health researcher Sahar Matlabi.

A doctor in Malmö, Sweden, says that if half of Iran’s population is vaccinated against COVID-19, daily deaths could fall into double digits. She says reaching 70% vaccination, while continuing to observe public-health protocols, would be needed before conditions could return to normal.

During a parliamentary review of Bahram Einollahi’s qualifications as Iran’s proposed health minister under President Ebrahim Raisi, he promised that vaccination in Iran would be completed by the end of Bahman. BBC News Persian’s post introduces an interview with population-health researcher Sahar Matlabi about the pledge.