Developing a Roadmap for Mass Vaccination of COVID-19 in Iran: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: Nowadays, the Covid-19 pandemic is one of the most important challenges worldwide, especially in terms of health. The most important strategy to prevent and control the Covid-19 pandemic is mass vaccination. This study aimed at developing a roadmap for the mass vaccination of COVID-19 in Iran. Methods: The current study was conducted using a qualitative approach with a content analysis method. In the first step, the review of literature and documents was carried out by a search in scientific databases. In the next step, the data were amassed via in-depth and semi-structured interviews with experts who were selected purposefully, including policymakers, health care workers, and managers. Then, three multidisciplinary expert panels for roadmap development were held. Results: Based on the literature review, interviews, and three stages of an expert panel, the final roadmap was developed with five dimensions including outcomes, planning and preparation, strategies, preparation and implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. Conclusions: This roadmap was developed to improve mass vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to our findings, it is strongly recommended that the vaccination roadmap with all the above-mentioned features and comprehensive structure should be applied to mitigate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.