Vaccination efforts gaining pace in Turkey

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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 7.30 p.m. on June 14, a record-high 781 thousand 901 doses of a vaccine, either Sinovac or Pfizer-BioNTech, were administered in Turkey in 24 hours.

While the number of people who received the first dose was 20 million 727 thousand 727 in total, the number of people who received both doses was 13 million 765 thousand 881 in total. The total number of vaccine doses administered thus far was 34 million 493 thousand 508.

At 12.04 a.m. today (June 15), Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced on Twitter that the total number of coronavirus vaccine doses administered across the country on June 14, 2021 was 842 thousand 494, which was some 92 thousand 494 more than targeted:

14 Haziran Pazartesi toplam aşı dozu raporu: 842.494
Hedeflediğimizden 92.494 doz daha fazla aşı yaptık.

— Dr. Fahrettin Koca (@drfahrettinkoca) June 14, 2021

The vaccination numbers in the 3 metropolitan cities were as follows:

* İstanbul - The number of first doses: 3 million 663 thousand 821; the number of second doses: 2 million 248 thousand 63; the total number of vaccine doses administered so far: 5 million 911 thousand 884

* Ankara - The number of first doses: 1 million 763 thousand 269; the number of second doses: 1 million 155 thousand 814; the total number of vaccine doses administered so far: 2 million 919 thousand 83

* İzmir - The number of first doses: 1 million 407 thousand 543; the number of second doses: 944 thousand 439; the total number of vaccine doses administered in the city so far: 2 million 351 thousand 982

Click here for all COVID-19 vaccine updates

Vaccination for employees

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, in a statement on Twitter, has announced that vaccination appointments will begin for all employees affiliated with the Turkish Social Security Institution (SGK) as of Tuesday.

Medical chambers call for vaccination

On the other side, the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) and İstanbul Medical Chamber have called on the citizens to get vaccinated.

The İstanbul Medical Chamber has said the following under the hashtags #TedirginOlmaAşıOl (Don't feel uneasy, get vaccinated) and #AşıCandırHayatKurtarır (Vaccine is life, vaccine saves lives):

"All vaccines currently administered in our country are protective and safe vaccines. Get vaccinated to protect yourselves, your loved ones and society. Vaccine protects, it saves lives!"

With a video of TTB Central Council Chair Prof. Şebnem Korur Fincancı attached, the TTB sent the following message to health workers:

"TTB Central Council Chair Prof. Şebnem Korur Fincancı has a message for her colleagues: 'Your have got really tired, yest, but, we have another duty before us: Let's reach out to our all people, tell them about the importance of the vaccine. May no one remain unvaccinated!"

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 2.18 billion doses in the world

According to the figures shared by the World Health Organization (WHO), 2 billion 187 million 874 thousand 534 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered across the world as of June 13, 2021.

(KÖ/SD)