Nearly 3 million vaccine doses administered in Turkey in 10 days

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Since January 26, 2021, the Health Ministry of Turkey has been sharing the number of COVID-19 vaccines administered across the country on a provisional basis with a regularly updated map.

According to the data shared by the Ministry, as of 7.45 p.m. on June 10, 457 thousand 454 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, either that of Sinovac or Pfizer-BioNTech, were administered in Turkey in 24 hours.

While the number of people who received the first dose was 18 million 727 thousand 608 in total, the number of people who received both doses was 13 million 485 thousand 511 in total. The total number of vaccine doses administered thus far was 32 million 213 thousand 119.

When calculated since the beginning of June 2021, it is seen that 2 million 957 thousand 455 doses have been administered in 10 days.

However, in a statement on May 22, Turkey's Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced that 30 million doses of BioNTech vaccines would be administered to 30 million people without backup for the second doses, adding that everyone older than 20 would be vaccinated in June.

The vaccination of people aged 45 and over started yesterday (June 10). Minister Koca also announced on June 9 that the ones aged 40 and over would be vaccinated starting from next Monday (June 14).

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New occupational groups to be vaccinated

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, in a statement on Twitter, also announced that the vaccine priority groups were expanded.

Employees of the food production and distribution sector, cafes and restaurants, as well as barbers and hairdressers can make a vaccine appointment as of Friday, Fahrettin Koca said yesterday.

All lawyers, regardless of age, have also been included in the vaccine priority program, he also said.

Vaccination began in Turkey on January 13

The first COVID-19 vaccine was administered in Turkey on January 13, 2021 and Health Minister Fahrettin Koca was the first person to receive the vaccine in Turkey. To date, Turkey has been giving the Sinovac and BioNTech jabs, and signed an agreement for the Sputnik V vaccine.

Over 2 billion doses in the world

According to the figures shared by the World Health Organization (WHO), 2 billion 154 million 75 thousand 98 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered across the world as of June 9, 2021.

(KÖ/SD)