Weary of restrictions, maskless Turks risk fourth wave as variants take hold
Nearly 18 months of coronavirus and a growing vaccination campaign has left many in Turkey careless about the risks of new variants of COVID-19.
ISTANBUL — Health Minister Fahrettin Koca sent a heartfelt plea on Thursday to his fellow Turks in a bid to boost COVID-19 vaccination.
“Let’s call our loved ones in Urfa today and ask them how they are,” he tweeted. “Let’s talk about the first dose of the vaccine. Sanliurfa is our only province still in the red. The vaccination rate is low and the risk level too high.”
Since relaxing most COVID-19 restrictions on July 1, the government has focused on an accelerated vaccination program in a race to achieve population immunity as soon as possible.
The drive has seen a rise in vaccination rates — at least 65% among over-18s across most of the country — but experts still warn it is not enough.
