International Journal of Preventive Medicine (Int J Prev Med)2008-780213102022112327172717ENDepartment of Community and Family Medicine, Preventive Medicine and Public Health Research Center, School of Medicine, Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, TehranDepartment of Community and Family Medicine, Preventive Medicine and Public Health Research Center (PMPHRC), Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), TehranPhD in Healthcare and Services Management, Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, TehranDepartment of Health Economics, School of Medicine, Shahed University & Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Preventive Medicine and Public Health Research Center, Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran20221022Sir, Within the past 18 months, the prevalence of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 19) pandemic in the world  (as well as in Iran) has fluctuated widely, but its trend has spread rapidly around the world. Despite the efforts of governments, this trend has been even greater in recent months in some less developed and developing countries. The prevalence of COVID‑19 depends on various factors, such as health infrastructure, health, and economic, social, and cultural policies of countries and differs from country to country. The fluctuations in the spread of this disease in the form of different waves  (first, second, third, fourth, etc.) have appeared in many countries, including Iran  (battling the fifth wave of the disease).[1,2]http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/view/2717http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/download/2717/717718558