Turkey's domestic COVID-19 vaccine Turkovac approved for emergency use

Turkey's locally developed COVID-19 vaccine Turkovac has been approved for emergency use. 

The country's health minister Fahrettin Koca made the announcement on Wednesday (December 22). 

"As of today, we have become one of the nine countries producing a COVID-19 vaccine," he said.

Turkovac will be in widespread use as of next week, added the minister. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pledged to make it accessible globally, saying it will be used to benefit all humanity when the vaccine was in the early stages of development. 

“Our COVID-19 vaccine Turkovac, which has come to the production and usage stage by receiving the necessary approvals, is a symbol of our efforts to protect our nation against the pandemic in the most effective way,” said the president.