Skip to main content

Weary of restrictions, maskless Turks risk fourth wave as variants take hold

Nearly 18 months of coronavirus and a growing vaccination campaign has left many in Turkey careless about the risks of new variants of COVID-19.

Burak Kara/Getty Images
A man wearing a face mask sits in front of an closed shop during a three-week nationwide coronavirus lockdown on May 6, 2021, in Istanbul, Turkey. — Burak Kara/Getty Images

ISTANBUL — Health Minister Fahrettin Koca sent a heartfelt plea on Thursday to his fellow Turks in a bid to boost COVID-19 vaccination.

“Let’s call our loved ones in Urfa today and ask them how they are,” he tweeted. “Let’s talk about the first dose of the vaccine. Sanliurfa is our only province still in the red. The vaccination rate is low and the risk level too high.”

Related Topics

Subscribe for unlimited access

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more

$14 monthly or $100 annually ($8.33/month)
OR

Continue reading this article for free

All news, events, memos, reports, and analysis, and access all 10 of our newsletters. Learn more.

By signing up, you agree to Al-Monitor’s Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Already have an account? Log in