Turkey will administer inactive novel coronavirus vaccines in two doses, 28 days apart, the country's health minister said, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.
Health care staff and nursing homes will be the first to receive the vaccines, Fahrettin Koca wrote in a statement on Twitter after a virtual meeting of the Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board.
He added that authorities are planning to administer vaccines at family health centers and public, private and university hospitals.
Vaccinations will not be mandatory for now, and Turkey aims to convince the public about the necessity of getting the jab against the coronavirus, making mass vaccination possible.
The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed around 1.8 million lives in 191 countries and regions since it originated in China last December.
Over 83.4 million cases have been reported worldwide, with more than 49 million recoveries, according to figures compiled by the U.S.’ Johns Hopkins University.
The U.S., India and Brazil remain the worst-hit countries in terms of cases.