OREANDA-NEWS. The head of the Turkish Ministry of Health has authorized the emergency use of the Turkish-made Turcovac coronavirus vaccine. This was announced on Wednesday, December 22, by the head of the department, Fahrettin Koca.

“The domestic vaccine Turcovac has been approved for emergency use, we have begun its serial production,” Minister Anadolu is quoted as saying.

According to him, the serial production of the inactivated vaccine has already been established and in the near future it will be widely used throughout the country, reports RT.

Earlier on Wednesday, it became known that new restrictions on COVID-19 will be introduced in Israel - the entrance to stores only with a vaccination certificate. This decision was made by the country's government commission to combat coronavirus in order to prevent the spread of the Omicron strain, according to the website kp.ru.

Entrance to shops with an area of ​​over 100 sq. m will be allowed upon presentation of the "green mark" (a valid certificate of vaccination. - Ed.) both in open trading floors and in closed and shopping centers, according to the website aif.ru.

On the same day, German Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach said that the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is starting in the country due to the spread of the Omicron strain.

On November 26, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated the B.1.1.529 strain, found in southern Africa, with the Greek letter Omicron.