Turkey Rolls Out Its Own COVID-19 Vaccine as Infections Surge

Hasan Oz receives a shot of the Sinovac's CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine as nationwide vaccination began for seniors of 80 years old or older at Sancaktepe Education and Research Hospital, in Istanbul, Turkey, January 27, 2021. (Reuters)
Hasan Oz receives a shot of the Sinovac's CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine as nationwide vaccination began for seniors of 80 years old or older at Sancaktepe Education and Research Hospital, in Istanbul, Turkey, January 27, 2021. (Reuters)
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Turkey Rolls Out Its Own COVID-19 Vaccine as Infections Surge

Hasan Oz receives a shot of the Sinovac's CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine as nationwide vaccination began for seniors of 80 years old or older at Sancaktepe Education and Research Hospital, in Istanbul, Turkey, January 27, 2021. (Reuters)
Hasan Oz receives a shot of the Sinovac's CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine as nationwide vaccination began for seniors of 80 years old or older at Sancaktepe Education and Research Hospital, in Istanbul, Turkey, January 27, 2021. (Reuters)

Turkey began administering its domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine, Turkovac, at hospitals across the country on Thursday, amid a rapid surge in infections due to the omicron variant.

Turkey has already administered more than 130 million doses of vaccines using shots developed by China’s Sinovac and by Pfizer/BioNTech. It also began administering booster shots.

Turkovac received emergency use authorization from Turkish authorities last week, after its launch was beset by delays for months, Reuters reported.

Daily coronavirus cases jumped beyond 30,000 this week for the first time since October. New infections surged 30 percent on Monday and jumped further to beyond 36,000 on Wednesday, the highest daily figure since April 29.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has urged citizens to get their booster shots.

Koca met with the country’s coronavirus science council on Wednesday to discuss the Turkovac rollout and rising infections after receiving a booster shot with the domestic vaccine, but said no new restrictions were being considered for now.

“The faster spread of the omicron variant is not causing a change in measures. The importance of personal measures against this variant that spreads faster has significantly increased,” Koca said in a statement after the science council meeting.

“Our domestic vaccine Turkovac will begin to be administered at our city hospitals from (Thursday). It is possible to receive the booster shot with our domestic vaccine. No matter what type of vaccine you received before, you can get your booster vaccine with Turkovac,” he added.

President Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said his government would make Turkovac available globally, but Ankara has yet to release detailed information about the vaccine’s efficacy rate or results from clinical trials.



Blast at Los Angeles Sheriff's Facility Leaves 3 Dead

A Los Angeles County sheriff's officer stands watch as a police vehicle passes by, while officers block the road to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Biscailuz Center Academy Training facility,in East Los Angeles, California, US July 18, 2025. REUTERS/ Mike Blake
A Los Angeles County sheriff's officer stands watch as a police vehicle passes by, while officers block the road to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Biscailuz Center Academy Training facility,in East Los Angeles, California, US July 18, 2025. REUTERS/ Mike Blake
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Blast at Los Angeles Sheriff's Facility Leaves 3 Dead

A Los Angeles County sheriff's officer stands watch as a police vehicle passes by, while officers block the road to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Biscailuz Center Academy Training facility,in East Los Angeles, California, US July 18, 2025. REUTERS/ Mike Blake
A Los Angeles County sheriff's officer stands watch as a police vehicle passes by, while officers block the road to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Biscailuz Center Academy Training facility,in East Los Angeles, California, US July 18, 2025. REUTERS/ Mike Blake

An explosion at a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department training facility has killed three deputies, local media reported on Friday, though officials have yet to confirm any deaths.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department said an explosion occurred at the Biscailuz Center Academy Training in East Los Angeles. The spokesperson said the cause was under investigation and that they were not yet ready to confirm any deaths or injuries, Reuters reported.

The Los Angeles Times newspaper, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, reported that three deputies were killed in the blast, which took place when a bomb squad moved some explosives.

Hilda Solis, who serves on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, said in a written statement that "my heart goes out to the families, friends, and colleagues of the three individuals who lost their lives in what appears to have been a devastating explosion."

US Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on social media that she had spoken with Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna along with US Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli "about what appears to be a horrific incident that killed at least three at a law enforcement training facility in Los Angeles."

Bondi said that federal agents were at the scene and working to learn more.