Health Minister Dr. Fahrettin Koca made a statement after the Coronavirus Scientific Committee meeting, which he chaired by videoconference method.
Stating that the rate of increase in the number of cases has decreased and the number of cases will decrease with compliance with restrictions and measures from now on, Koca said, “In today's weekly meeting of the Scientific Committee, new variants of the virus, the latest developments regarding the vaccine, and mutations were discussed. "Communication with the community, which is important in terms of epidemic management, has also been on the agenda."
Minister Koca pointed out that the number of cases has increased due to the loosening of measures and rapidly spreading mutations in the recent period and said, “The rate of increase in cases has started to decrease since the beginning of the week we are in and it is predicted that it will decrease in the coming days. If the targeted reduction in the number of cases cannot be achieved, tightening of the measures has been evaluated ”.
Underlining that mutations are effective in the rate of increase in cases and are not weaker in making sick, Koca continued as follows:
“The most common mutation in our country is the type known as the UK variant. This variant painfully showed how fast it has spread in recent days. Although the power of the health infrastructure meets large patient burdens, no capacity is unlimited. We have to reduce the burden on our health system by controlling the spread. After the patients recover, they continue their lives where they left off. However, healthcare professionals are restarting the process of struggling with new patients every day. We have to break this abrasive cycle. "
"India variant was detected in Turkey"
Minister Koca pointed out that a new type of mutation known as the “Indian variant” has been detected and said, “Even though this variant has not been detected in our country yet, measures have also been taken against this rapidly transmitting variant. In this context, people who want to enter our country from India and India-contact travels are quarantined in designated dormitories, and they are allowed to enter the country after being kept under surveillance for 14 days ”.
"Sputnik V vaccine will be available very soon"
Reminding that the vaccination program continued as planned in Ramadan, Koca said, “The number of our citizens who postponed vaccination increased with the beginning of the month of Ramadan. However, vaccination after iftar ensured that our citizens were vaccinated by getting vaccination appointments early. In the information I shared before regarding vaccine procurement, I said that we are in an effort to put the best procurement conditions we have at the disposal of our nation in the fastest way possible. Two types of vaccines are currently being used actively, and studies are ongoing to increase their number. I would like to state that very soon, the Sputnik V vaccine will also be activated ”.
Domestic inactive Kovid-19 vaccine will enter Phase-3 stage in May
Stating that the domestic vaccine means "domestic power and trust", Koca said, "Our inactive vaccine candidate, who first started human trials from our domestic vaccines, has been vaccinated the last volunteers to complete the Phase-2 study and will move to the Phase-3 stage, which is the last step, in May." .
Stating that there may be the possibility of widespread vaccination in this period, Koca shared the information that "Another important vaccine candidate is the virus-like particle vaccine, which has started Phase-1 experiments in our public hospital and continues successfully until now without any problems."
Stating that the Phase-1 clinical trial of a second inactivated vaccine candidate started about 10 days ago, Koca noted:
“For our vaccine candidates who continue to work happily, no adverse event related to the vaccine has occurred. Nowadays, Phase-1 clinical trials of a third inactive vaccine will start at our Ankara City Hospital. Two new vaccine candidates, another inactive and intranasal spray, are in the phase of starting Phase-1 studies. Finally, research product production studies are continuing for the Phase-1 study of an adenovirus-based vector vaccine. Turkey with 7 different vaccine platform is taking important steps to achieve his own power. "
"Responsibility does not mean blaming or finding guilty"
Emphasizing that it is everyone's responsibility to inform the society correctly and keep it together in the epidemic management, Koca continued as follows:
“I would like to open it up thinking that my words that the responsibility I expressed recently was in 84 million, all of us, may have been misunderstood. Responsibility does not mean blaming or finding guilty. Responsibility is an ideal of encompassing unity that includes fighting together to achieve better conditions, not being separated from unity and solidarity, encouraging each other, encouraging and most importantly protecting each other. "
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