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The number of COVID-19 jabs differs between Turkish cities

The number of COVID-19 jabs differs between Turkish cities

Despite a difference in vaccination numbers between the country’s east and west, Turkey continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Turkey administered more than 75 million doses of vaccine and may soon reach 80 million.
One of the main reasons for the rise in cases is the slowdown in vaccination numbers, especially in Turkey’s eastern provinces.

According to data, the vaccination ratio is at its highest at 88% of the population in southwestern Muğla province, while southeastern Şanlıurfa ranks last with 41.5%.

Many other eastern cities have similar vaccination ratios. Central provinces such as Konya are also lagging behind with vaccination rates around 60%, while western and northwestern provinces top the list with rates around 80%.

The country’s current total of 75.8 million jabs – which includes people that have been fully vaccinated or who have only had the first dose – means it is getting closer to a full return to normal life even though the spike in cases remains concerning.

The number of daily infections in the country is around 25,000 per day, which marks the highest number since early May.

The country’s vaccination program began in January with health care workers and, after a slow start, gained momentum earlier this summer. In a few weeks, the country managed to open vaccines to all age groups 18 and above. Figures released by the Health Ministry show that more than 41 million people have received their first doses while more than 28 million people are fully vaccinated, as of Sunday. Some 5.3 million people, particularly those taking the Sinovac vaccine, received their “booster” shots or third dose.

The vaccination program is essential to curb the pandemic according to authorities. Through jabs, the country aims to reach a mass immunity level of at least 70%. At the current pace, it is not a far-fetched goal. Nevertheless, vaccine hesitancy, prevailing especially in eastern regions, threatens the country’s gains against the pandemic. The Health Ministry has deployed mobile crews in several provinces with low vaccination rates, going door to door to people who refused vaccination, hoping to convince them and give them jabs on site.

Inoculation is not mandatory in the country, but the government is considering imposing certain restrictions on the unvaccinated. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca had announced Thursday that they may ask for weekly polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests from people without two doses of vaccine, in order to greenlight their travel in buses and planes and attendance to events in seated venues, like cinemas and concert halls.

Daily coronavirus cases in Turkey fluctuated at around 24,000 to 25,000 this week. Experts say a surge in the cases is inevitable, as people tended to ditch rules like mandatory masks and social distancing after a normalization process began on July 1, lifting almost all pandemic-related restrictions, including curfews.

The fast-spreading delta variant is also a culprit in this new wave of infections. Experts are calling on the public to ensure that they receive their two doses of vaccine against the coronavirus in time, describing the inoculation as key for success in defeating the spread of the delta variant.