Turkey has entered a new normalization phase, relaxing most of the COVID-19-related restrictions, including nighttime curfews and nationwide lockdowns on Sundays.
The new episode in the county’s fight against the pandemic began on July 1 after the government decided to remove the curbs amid the decline in daily virus cases and fast-track vaccinations.
In the normalization phase, all curfews, which had been in effect for months, will be fully scrapped, and there will be no intercity travel restrictions.
Cafes and restaurants are now allowed to serve people with no limitation on guest numbers in indoor and outdoor areas.
All workplaces and cinemas, which have suspended their activities as part of coronavirus measures, will reopen while restrictions and measures in accommodation facilities will end, although hygiene, mask, and social distancing rules must still be followed.
Concerts, festivals, and youth camps will also be allowed.
Moreover, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca signaled on June 29 that sports matches can be held with a limited number of fans and in line with COVID-19 safety measures.
In March 2020, Turkey barred fans from all nationwide sporting events to stem the virus’ spread. In the 2020-21 season, no fans were allowed to watch sports matches in the venues.
Meanwhile, people above the age of 50 as well as health care staff across Turkey are able to make appointments as of today to receive their third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, Health Ministry Fahrettin Koca said on June 30.
Following the meeting of the country’s Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board, Koca highlighted the significance of vaccination to achieving the national immunization against the COVID-19.
Koca said that people above the age of 50 and medical staff would be eligible to make appointments to receive the third dose of their choice.
Koca said authorities have mobilized to bring vaccines to Turkey in a planned and comfortable fashion and the country was one of the top counties with a vaccination pace of more than 1 million doses registered in a single day.
Stressing that Turkey has registered about 50 million doses, he said the more that people become vaccinated, the faster the coronavirus threat would be eliminated and the future looked bright.
He noted that the virus could easily mutate, however, available vaccines seemed to have a protective effect to some extent, and vaccination would be of great importance.
Asked about vaccination planning for those who already recovered from COVID-19, Koca said the previous approach was to offer vaccination six months following the recovery, however, patients could now have the vaccine after three months.
He also said those who received the first jab of the BioNTech vaccine would be able to get their second dose after four months.
