Antalya prepares for summer rush with speedy vaccination drive

ANTALYA

More than a million people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the Turkish resort city of Antalya.

A total of 1,007,920 doses have been administered to some 73 percent of the target population, according to Ünal Hülür, the provincial health director for Antalya.

“We used this lockdown period to our advantage by boosting vaccinations in our province; our immunization drive has continued without any letup,” he told Anadolu Agency.

He said the efforts have had a positive impact and brought about a significant decrease in the number of cases.

According to Hülür, 73.2 percent of Antalya’s target population has received a first vaccine dose and 55 percent have been fully vaccinated.

Some 87.8 percent of healthcare workers, 85.8 percent of people above 65, and 81.6 percent of people working in nursing homes have been vaccinated. The immunization drive is progressing rapidly in Antalya, a major local and global tourist hub. Persuasion teams have also been set up by the provincial health directorate to raise awareness among those hesitant about COVID-19 shots.

Ferit Turgut, the chairman of the Mediterranean Region Representation Board of the Union of Turkish Travel Agencies, pointed out that vaccination drives have been carried out to create “green zones” in Europe.

“Having such green zones in Turkey will have positive effects on our entire economy, tourism, and health. According to the latest statistics, some 60 to 70 percent of all tourism sector employees have been vaccinated, which is a very encouraging sign,” he said.