Turkish youth urged to get vaccinated

"To enjoy summer vacation and rejoin universities in September, I invite the youth to get their shots done," Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said on his Twitter account on Friday.

"We expect a new record from Istanbul" in terms of the number of vaccinations, Yerlikaya added.

According to the Governor, there are more than 3.1 million people who fit the criteria in Istanbul, Turkey's cultural and economic hub that has a total population of 16.5 million.

Turkey has also lowered the vaccination eligibility age to 18.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca also called on young people across the country to take their vaccination appointments.

"Let's get vaccinated and get involved in life," Koca tweeted.

Universities and schools in Turkey have conducted online classes since the onset of the pandemic in 2020.

Turkey started its mass vaccination drive on January 14 after authorities approved the emergency use of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine.

The total number of vaccines administered has reached 46 million across the country, according to the Health Ministry.

So far, more than 31.2 million citizens have received their first doses, while over 14.7 million have received both shots.