2 doses of vaccine most effective weapon against Delta variant: Expert

By Burcu Calik

ANKARA (AA) - The most effective weapon against the Delta variant is two doses of vaccine and individual protection, a Turkish infectious diseases and clinical microbiology specialist said.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Dr. Kemalettin Aydin said: “The single dose of the vaccine we administered provided 80-86% protection. However, in the Delta variant, protection in a single dose vaccine drops to 30%.

“We will be protected against Delta variant by 95% when we get our first dose, then our second dose four weeks later,” he added.

Getting the two doses of the vaccine and complying with restrictions between the first and second dose are both crucial to fight against the Delta variant, said Aydin.

“We need to vaccinate 70% of population for herd immunity. If the vaccination goes like this and people adapt to the vaccine, we will achieve herd immunity in mid-August,” he said.

Over 45.87 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have been administered since Turkey launched a mass vaccination campaign in mid-January.

More than 31.12 million people have received their first doses, while over 14.74 million have been fully vaccinated, the Health Ministry’s count showed.

Turkey lowered the COVID-19 vaccination eligibility age to 18 on Wednesday, with appointments to be scheduled as of Friday.

*Writing by Busra Nur Cakmak