ANKARA -- Turkey will start administering the third dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines on Thursday, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said Wednesday.

The booster dose will be applied to those who have passed six months after receiving the second dose of mRNA vaccines, Koca said in a statement after a coronavirus science board meeting.
It includes people aged 60 and above, citizens between the ages of 18 and 60 with chronic diseases, and those in high-risk professions particularly health workers, he added.
Turkey on Wednesday confirmed 29,764 new COVID-19 cases, raising its total tally of infections to 8,121,226, according to its health ministry.
Turkey started mass COVID-19 vaccination on Jan. 14 after the authorities approved the emergency use of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine.
More than 55.51 million people have received their first doses of vaccines, and over 48.92 million have taken their second doses. Turkey has so far administered over 116.83 million doses, including the booster jabs with the Sinovac vaccine.