Over 85 million Covid-19 vaccines administered in Turkey 

ISTANBUL: Turkey has administered over 85 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines as part of the ongoing vaccination campaign, the Health Ministry announced on Tuesday.

So far, more than 44.6 million citizens have received their first doses, while 33.6 million have taken two doses in the country with a population of 83 million, said the ministry.

The number of citizens who have received their third jabs neared 7 million, it added.

In Turkey’s biggest city Istanbul with over 16.5 million people, the total number doses surpassed 15 million. Those who received two shots topped 6 million, according to the ministry.

Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said the pace of the vaccination is of great importance so that the new academic year would begin on September 6 as planned.

Yerlikaya noted that the inoculation rate of Istanbul residents aged 65 and over hit 90 per cent. “This is a very important rate,” the governor said at a recent provincial pandemic board meeting.

The vaccination rate in the city for the eligible population who have got at least one vaccine dose exceeded 70 per cent on Monday, the ministry’s data also revealed.

“Our healthcare workers are on their duty, waiting for our compatriots who have not been vaccinated,” Yerlikaya stressed.

On Monday, Turkey lowered the vaccination eligibility age to 15 years old and allowed those over 12 with a chronic disease to get their shots as well.–Xinhua

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