Turkey tests first shot of coronavirus vaccine

ISTANBUL-Anadolu Agency

Turkish doctors on Sept. 28 gave the first shot of the coronavirus vaccine to a health worker.

Asım Baştürk, 53, volunteered for the phase 3 test of the vaccine developed by China.

Speaking to reporters, Dr. Mustafa Sait Gönen, dean of Turkey's leading Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty, said: “Today, we began the Phase 3 study of the Chinese origin vaccine from the Cerrahpaşa medical school."

Giving a break up of patients they attended to since March, he said, out of 335,000 patients who visited the facility; 27,000 were treated for COVID-19 and 77,000 tests were conducted.

"This is an important day for the Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty. This struggle [against the virus] continues in Cerrahpaşa, as in other hospitals and in the world," he added.

Also speaking, Baştürk said: "I volunteered for this of my own will. Of course, we want this [virus] which is creating trouble for Turkey and the world to be eliminated soon."