Turkey begins Phase 3 trials of homegrown COVID vaccine

KAYSERI, Turkey

Turkey began administering its national coronavirus vaccine candidate to volunteers on Wednesday in central Kayseri province as part of Phase 3 studies.

The inactive TURKOVAC vaccine candidate was jointly developed by the Health Ministry, Health Institutes of Turkey, and Erciyes University (ERU).

ERU Rector Mustafa Calis said trials of TURKOVAC on volunteers began at the university.

The vaccine also began to be applied to volunteers at Kayseri City Hospital on Wednesday.

Turkey has administered more than 91.08 million vaccine jabs and an excess of 75.64% of the population has received at least one shot.

*Writing by Merve Berker in Ankara