Turkey: 1st batch of vaccines to come on Wed from China

ISTANBUL

The first batch of the COVID19 vaccines -- three million doses -- from China will be brought to Turkey via Turkish Airlines' Beijing-Istanbul flight on Wednesday.

Vaccines will be delivered to Istanbul Airport first, then the capital Ankara, according to the information given by the flag carrier.

The Boeing 777 type of plane, with 17 containers of vaccines, is expected to land at Istanbul Airport at 06.10 (GMT0310) on Wednesday.

Fahrettin Koca, the Turkish health minister, has said previously that Turkey will be receiving a total of 50 million doses of Chinese COVID19 vaccines, SinoVac, and that the first 20 million doses of vaccines will be delivered during December and January.

The minister also announced that the country will purchase another vaccine developed by German-based medical firm BioNTech up to 30 million doses.