COVID-19: Iraq requires vaccinations for university student applicants

Mustafa Shilani 2021/09/08 18:50

A health worker at an Iraqi hospital where coronavirus patients are treated. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

Iraq Iraq COVID-19 Vaccine Baghdad Higher Education Education

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education on Wednesday stipulated that prospective students must not only present proof of having received a coronavirus vaccination before showing up on campus, but also before beginning the application process.

"In order to preserve the public health of the community and in compliance with the decision of the Supreme Committee for National Health and Safety No. 26 of 2021, the ministry announced that it would not receive applicants in all its departments unless the references submitted the COVID-19 related vaccine card or a weekly negative PCR test," said Ministry spokesman Haider al-Aboudi said in a statement.

"In the interest of a healthy and safe environment," he continued, the ministry "calls on all its affiliates and staff, including teachers and employees, as well as students, to contribute to more health awareness, stressing that students, workers and faculty will not be allowed to work in the Ministry's center and its formations, universities, colleges, and all governmental and private institutes until after documenting official vaccination procedures.”

The Iraqi Ministry of Health announced on Saturday the arrival of a new shipment of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Iraqi health officials recorded 5,405 new coronavirus infections and 62 deaths over the previous past 24 hours. The new number brings the total number of cases of the highly infectious disease so far across the Middle Eastern nation to 1,934,335, including 21,282 deaths.