Turkey to use TURKOVAC jab in all public hospitals

Starting from next week, Turkey’s TURKOVAC vaccine against coronavirus infection will be available in all public hospitals in Turkey, Healthcare Minister Fahrettin Koca said, Report informs referring to Anadolu Agency.

So far, 800,000 doses of TURKOVAC have been distributed in hospitals in Turkey.

He reminded that Turkish specialists are working on adapting domestic jabs to the omicron strain. “The domestic vaccine is being tested on animals. I believe that the second dose will be administered to animals tomorrow. We plan to fully adapt TURKOVAC to the omicron strain by March,” the minister said.

Koca noted that according to experts’ forecasts, the increase in the incidence will decline as early as next week: “The load on hospitals will also gradually decrease. By now, the hospitalization rate of COVID patients has decreased by 28-30%, and in intensive care units by 15%,” said the minister.

He further reminded that doctors in Turkey have started using the Molnupiravir drug to treat patients with coronavirus.

The drug is prescribed for patients over 65 years of age, those with chronic diseases and those at risk, and it is very important that people over 65 receive it in the early stages of treatment for coronavirus, Koca explained.