Kemal Memişoğlu

The worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is over for Turkey, and people should not worry anymore, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has said.

The Health Ministry's Science Board, which advises the government on the pandemic, will have an important meeting next week in which members will discuss the use of face masks in schools, Koca told reporters on April 14.

Authorities are concerned about growing vaccine hesitancy among people who have refused to get vaccinated even though their turn has come.

While experts say that the vaccination rate, which is considered to be indispensable in fight against the pandemic, is disappointing, an official has stated that the rate of those who do not get vaccinated in Istanbul is also high.

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.

A call center, which was set up just a week after the start of the outbreak in Turkey on March 11 to give psychological support to those affected by the coronavirus pandemic with only 60 volunteers, has now become a world-class online therapy center with 681 professionals, according to the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Health officials heading it.

Turkey's metropolitan city of Istanbul has stood out and set an example for the world in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, hosts the majority of the patients in the country. It has gained global attention with its intensive care unit and bed capacity, well-equipped hospitals, and experienced healthcare workers.