‘One fourth of Turkey’s active COVID-19 cases in the 0-17 age group’

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has said that the in-class education, which began in Turkey on September 6, has contributed to the increase in the number of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.

Answering the questions of journalists after the Cabinet Meeting, Koca said, "With the schools remaining open for the past 3 weeks, the number of cases in the 0-17 age group has seen a one-fold increase. Our average number of active cases is 400 thousand now. One fourth or 25 percent of them are in the 0-17 age group. This rate was 10-11 percent before."

Noting that the increase in the number of cases has led to a 10-percent increase in hospitalizations, Minister Koca also talked about the future of in-class education in Turkey during the pandemic:

The increase in the number of cases has not been reflected in the number of intensive care and intubated patients. Therefore, the situation is not concerning in that regard. We are closely monitoring the situation. We, as the Science Board and the Health Ministry, think that all alternatives, including education two times a day and at the weekend, should be tried and schools should remain open in any case. We are of the same opinion about not only the schools of the Ministry of National Education, but about the universities as well.

Referring to the upcoming start of the new school year at universities, Koca said that this would also affect the number of COVID-19 cases.

About the vaccination rates, Health Minister Koca stated, "The vaccination rates of our teachers are increasing day by day. The rate of the ones who have received at least one dose of the vaccine is 92 percent and two doses is 82 percent now. Teachers account for 3 percent of the active cases. There are around 12 thousand [active cases among teachers]."

'Shopping malls won't be closed'

Koca said that they did not want to bring closures to their agenda in the new period, noting that they would not close the shopping malls.

When he was asked about the course of COVID-19 vaccination in the country after Turkey's Turkovac vaccine starts to be used, Koca said that they would offer an alternative with the domestic vaccine, adding that people would be vaccinated with the vaccine that they prefer.

Referring to the recent demonstrations of anti-vaxxers in Turkey, Koca briefly stated, "I do not think that this society has a problem with the vaccine. Not getting vaccinated or not, but which vaccine is to be prefered can be discussed. Not getting vaccinated has never been a part of this society's agenda. We are a society who vaccinates 98 percent of its children with 13 different vaccines. There may be those who postponed their vaccination. If needs be, we will go to them and make it easier for them to get vaccinated." (KÖ/SD)