ISTANBUL, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Turkey has so far administered over 63.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in its ongoing vaccination campaign, the Health Ministry revealed on Monday.
Almost 39 million citizens have got their first dose, while 21 million have taken two doses in the country with a population of 83 million, said the ministry.
The number of citizens who have received their third jab neared 4 million, it added.
Meanwhile, the country's big football clubs, such as Besiktas, Fenerbahce, and Galatasaray, urged their fans to receive vaccines before the new season starts on Aug. 13.
The clubs said on Twitter: "Get your COVID-19 vaccine done and let's experience the excitement of football altogether in the stadiums with peace of mind."
Turkish authorities had decided to limit the seating capacity to 50 percent inside the stadiums for the upcoming season.
According to the latest data, the vaccination ratio for those who have got at least their first dose in some of Turkey's northwestern and western provinces has exceeded 75 percent.
In Mugla, which hosts the country's several most important tourist destinations such as Bodrum and Marmaris, this rate hit 84 percent.
However, the vaccination pace remained significantly low in the east and southeast of the country, the ministry noted.
Turkey allowed healthcare workers and people aged 50 and above to take their third jab amid increasing daily coronavirus cases.
