Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine

Health minister hints ‘end of pandemic’ by shaking hands with citizens

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has shown hints that the end of the coronavirus pandemic is nearing while visiting tradesmen in the southeastern province of Adıyaman unmasked and shaking hands with them.

"We are going back to our old days when measures or curbs did not exist," Koca said on April 25.

Pandemic situation appears to be stable, says expert

The pandemic situation in Turkey appears to have stabilized, an expert has said, however, warning that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 still poses risks, particularly to the unvaccinated.

The recent increase in coronavirus cases Turkey has witnessed is due to this strain, said Afşin Kayıpmaz from the Health Ministry's Science Board.

Health minister calls on public to avoid complacency

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has called on the public to avoid complacency and believing that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 causes a milder disease, urging everyone to get their booster shots.

"We are fighting a variant of the virus that spreads rapidly and causes a milder course of the disease. This should not be passed onto you as complacency," Koca said on Twitter.

Pages