Turkey's domestically developed Covid-19 vaccine, Turkovac, has applied for emergency authorisation, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said, adding he hoped the shot would be available for use by year-end.

Speaking at his ministry's budget debate in parliament, Koca said work on Turkovac was nearing completion, and added the shot would mark the first Phase III clinical research project to be fully carried out by Turkey, Reuters reported.

“I would like to share a piece of good news for our people: our domestic inactive Covid-19 vaccine Turkovac has applied for emergency authorisation as of today,” Koca said.