‘We have lost at least as many more citizens due to indirect causes’

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Health Minister Fahrettin Koca addressed the reporters following the Coronavirus Science Board meeting yesterday (June 23).

Koca stated that COVID-19 deaths are diagnosed based on the criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO). Noting that 50 thousand people have so far lost their lives according to these criteria, he added, "We have lost at least as many more citizens due to indirect causes."

"When we consider the deaths among people aged 65 and over who recovered from the disease and lost their lives 45 days after they fully recovered, we see that the number of deaths has more than doubled. It seems that it will take three years to repair this damage," he said.

No Delta plus, 134 Delta cases in 16 cities

Further in his speech, Minister Koca noted that no Delta plus cases have been diagnosed in Turkey, but there are 134 cases of Delta variant.

According to the Health Minister, the Delta variant has been diagnosed in 16 cities and the majority of these cases are in İstanbul.

While 82 Delta cases have been so far diagnosed in İstanbul, this number is 18 in Düzce, 8 in Van, 4 in Ankara, 3 in İzmir and 1-2 in other cities.

"We know that vaccines are effective against this variant. We know that there will be a stronger effect against the Delta variant with the second dose," Koca said, adding that the period of six weeks that needs to pass between two vaccine shots might be reduced to 4 in the next period.

Ban on resignation, leave to be lifted

On the other side, in an official letter signed by Health Minister Fahrettin Koca and sent to provinces earlier yesterday (June 23), it has been announced that the restrictions on healthcare workers' right to resign and take a leave of absence will be lifted as of July 1, 2021.

The rights to take a leave of absence and to retire were restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic on October 27, 2020. This ban was removed on January 20, 2021. With a new circular issued by the Health Ministry on March 3, it was announced that "regardless of their reasons, the requests of the personnel for their resignation in the period would not be accepted."

Several labor and occupational organizations, including the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) and Health and Social Service Laborers' Union (SES), underlined that the right of resignation is granted to people by laws, denying healthcare workers this right is against the law and it means that public workers are made to work by force. (KÖ/SD)