Soran University opens COVID-19 vaccination center for students, staff and faculty

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A new coronavirus vaccination center has opened on Soran University's campus where students, staff, and the faculty can get inoculated against the highly contagious virus.

Health authorities from the Kurdish capital visited the center, which was inaugurated on September 15, on Monday.

The center is the latest attempt to ramp up vaccination of students and faculty, so they can safely proceed with the education process, Dlovan Mohammad, Erbil's chief health director, said in a press conference on Monday.

Soran, located in the Kurdistan Region's Erbil Province, has a vaccination center where the public can receive their jabs.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) recently inaugurated Soran as an autonomous administration, meaning its public affairs are now locally dealt with inside the city. The new status significantly cuts red tapes, according to government officials.

Read More: KRG inaugurates Soran as new autonomous administration

Kurdish higher education authorities previously announced universities and colleges will resume in-person classes in September.

Read More: In-person classes to resume in September at Kurdistan Region colleges, universities: Official

Elementary and high school students recently went back to school, beginning the new academic year with in-person classes.

Ahead of their return to school, 35 percent of teachers were vaccinated against the virus, according to the official government tally.

Over 800,000 doses of vaccine have been administered so far in the numerous inoculation centers across the Kurdistan Region, according to that tally. 

The region has recorded over 318,000 cases of coronavirus since the pandemic began and 5,700 deaths from that contagious virus.