Science Board to hold crucial meeting, says health minister

The Health Ministry's Science Board will discuss the latest situation in the COVID-19 pandemic and the virus-related measures, the country's top health official has said.

Speaking at the northwestern province of Bursa, Fahrettin Koca noted that the number of daily infections has declined to 3,200 as of April 17, which marked the lowest level in the past one and a half years.

"It is much safer now because we have the vaccine and medicine [against the virus]. The number of patients being treated in hospitals' intensive care units is also on the decline, and COVID wards have been closing," the minister told reporters.

The pandemic situation and COVID-19-related measures, which are currently in place, will be discussed at the upcoming Science Board meeting, Koca said, adding that this will be one of the "most important meetings" of the board.

Members of the Science Board, which advises the government on the pandemic, are set to meet tomorrow.

"We have entered a new period [in the pandemic] where restrictions will not be imposed, but individuals will take their own precautions, just like in the case of flu," Koca said.

However, he reiterated that people aged over 65 with chronic illness are still at risk and need to protect themselves and that everybody needs to get their booster shots.

COVID-19 has infected more than 14 million and killed around 97,000 people in Turkey.