Turkey passes 1 million mark for vaccine doses given

ANKARA- Anadolu Agency

Turkey has administered the coronavirus vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac to more than 1 million citizens who have received their first shots as of Jan. 20, according to the Health Ministry.

After administering the first dose of the vaccine to health care professionals last week, Turkish authorities have now administered virus jabs to nearly 90,000 residents and people working in nursing homes and care facilities for the disabled, increasing the total number of vaccinated people across the country to 1 million.

Some 245 elderly citizens and 170 personnel in the 75th Year Nursing Home Elderly Care and Rehabilitation Center in Ankara were vaccinated within the scope of a campaign initiated at the same time throughout the country.

In Istanbul, 615 residents of Darülaceze, a public shelter for the elderly and those in need of special care with 700 people living, were also vaccinated.

The second dose of vaccines will be administered after 28 days from the first dose, Disabled and Elderly Services General Manager Orhan Koç said.

After receiving their second shots, elderly people would be kept under observation for additional 15 days, he added.

“After that, we will ease our measures accordingly, and I want to give the good news that our elders will be able to meet their loved ones, families, and children,” Koç said.

More than 18,000 personnel, 30,000 disabled people and 24,200 elderly people in official and private nursing homes have received their first doses of the vaccine.

Citizens over the age of 90 living in their places of residence have also received their first shots.

According to population data, 11,942 people in Ankara and 198,000 people in the rest of the country are 90 years old or above.

Turkey and Russia have conducted discussions regarding cooperation in the field of health in light of the coronavirus pandemic, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has said.

“After a meeting with Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, Aleksey Yerhov, we evaluated our cooperation with them in the field of health, especially the Sputnik V vaccine,” Koca tweeted.

He thanked Yerhov for Russia’s receptiveness for bilateral cooperation.

Koca also met with China’s ambassador to Turkey, Liu Shaobin, at the ministry, thanking the ambassador for China’s support and their friendly role in Turkey’s vaccination program.

“We will continue to work together for the common good of humanity,” he added.