Fahrettin Koca

In a statement on the latest results of Phase 3 trials in Turkey of the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on March 4 its overall efficiency was 83.5% with a hospitalization prevention rate of 100%.

"Our experience also shows that hospitalizations are being prevented [via vaccine]," he added.

Turkey has rolled out its plan to soften COVID-19 restrictions, easing weekend lockdowns in low and medium-risk provinces, while allowing limited reopening of restaurants and beginning face-to-face education in most of schools.

Some 1,811 people have been sentenced to prison for violence against healthcare workers in the past five years in Turkey, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has said in response to a parliamentary question filed by a deputy of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).

Istanbul is ready to ease COVID-19-related restrictions starting on March1 and making preparations to that end in line with the government's plans to move to a normalization phase on a provincial-basis, the city's provincial health director has said.

Turkey will start to gradually normalize from coronavirus restrictions as of March 1, Turkey's health minister said on
Feb. 20. 

Underlining that they are working carefully on normalization steps, Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter that the process will start with provincial public health councils dealing with four risk levels in line with Health Ministry criteria.

Easing or tightening the restrictions will take place after province-based measures become more concrete, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told reporters after the president unveiled the plans for moving to the normalization phase on Feb. 17. 

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca shared a statement on Twitter with details of the Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board's latest meeting and 'we are about to complete Phase 1 in the vaccination of priority groups identified by our Scientific Board," he said on Feb. 16. 

Turkey's health minister on Feb. 15 announced the number of COVID-19 cases on a provincial basis between Feb. 8-14 as part of a new weekly initiative. 

"From now on, we will announce the number of cases for [the past] seven days at the beginning of each week," Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter.

Turkey's health minister on Feb. 13 welcomed a report by Dutch broadcaster RTL Nieuws on the ongoing nationwide vaccination campaign against the coronavirus.

A correspondent of the channel joined a Turkish health team in the eastern Van province as they visited a house where two senior citizens live. They walk through deep snow and steep slopes to reach the village.

Turkey may see a surge in COVID-19 cases in the months to come due to the different virus variants found in more than 20 provinces, experts have warned, urging the public to remain vigilant and exercise caution.