COVID-19 transmission sources, management, and scientific research in Turkey.

İngilizce (OpenAlex)

To the Editor, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was seen first in Wuhan, China and spread very quickly all over the world despite very strict precautions taken worldwide 1 . The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the disease a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Turkey reported its first case of the coronavirus on the same day and had started taking precautions both in the country and along the borders months earlier. Over time, many case reports and remarkable articles relating to the disease progression, virus genomics, and treatment options were published in high-quality journals. Simultaneously, country-wide data registries and research activities began in Turkey. Recently, a correspondence sent from Turkey offering a critique of some important points concerning the disease, including transmission routes to Turkey (mainly Iran and Saudi Arabia), lack of transparency at the Turkish Ministry of Health (MoH), and, in particular, scientific research restrictions on COVID-19 was published in Lancet, one of the most prestigious medical journals We read the correspondence of Hasan Bayram et al. with great interest. It reported important information concerning COVID-19 transmission routes to Turkey, a lack of transparency by the Turkish MoH, and purported restrictions on scientific research on COVID-19.