Turkey issues COVID-19 guidelines based on risk groups

ANKARA

Turkey’s Interior Ministry issued a public notice Tuesday on coronavirus measures to be taken according to risk groups.

According to the notice sent to all 81 of the country’s provinces, the rules to be followed and coronavirus measures to be taken on a provincial basis will be determined by the governorships.

The country's nationwide curfew from 9.00 p.m. to 5.00 a.m. on weekdays will continue.

On weekends in low- and medium-risk provinces, the curfew will be implemented between 9.00 p.m. to 5.00 a.m., just like during the week.

In high-risk and very high-risk provinces, a curfew will be implemented between 9.00 p.m. on Friday and 5.00 a.m. on Saturday and starting from 9.00 p.m. on Saturday and covering all of Sunday, ending at 5.00 a.m. on Monday. Curfews will be lifted in these provinces on Saturday between 5.00 a.m. and 9.00 p.m.

In low- and medium-risk provinces, curfew restrictions will be lifted for people aged 65 and above as well as under 20.

In high-risk and very high-risk provinces, the permitted time period to go out for those aged 65 and over and under 20 will be increased from three hours to four hours. Persons aged 65 and over will be able to go out between 10.00 a.m. to 2.00 pm and under 20 between 2.00 p.m. to 6.00 pm.

All restaurants will request HES Code

Businesses such as restaurants and cafes will be open with 50% capacity from 7.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. except in very high-risk provinces and will request the country's coronavirus contact tracing HES code. Cafes and restaurants will offer only takeaway and delivery services between 7.00 p.m. and 9.00 p.m. while offering only delivery services from 9.00 p.m. to 12.00 a.m.

In high-risk and very high-risk provinces, restaurants and cafes will offer takeaway and delivery service between 10.00 a.m. and 8.00 p.m. and offer only delivery services from 8.00 p.m. to 12.00 a.m.

In low- and medium-risk provinces, astro pitches and swimming pools will be able to operate between 9.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m., provided that the HES code is used at the entrances and no spectators, companions, or guests are allowed.

Facilities such as astro pitches and swimming pool will remain closed until a new decision in high-risk and very high-risk provinces.

The categorization of provinces as being low, medium, high, or very high risk is based on infection rates and the vaccination process, which began on Jan. 14

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced late Monday that an easing of coronavirus restrictions is beginning based on conditions in individual provinces.

As of Monday, Turkey registered a total of 28,638 deaths from COVID-19, while over 2.57 million people have recovered from the disease. There have been over 2.7 million confirmed cases in the country.

Since December 2019, the pandemic has claimed more than 2.53 million lives in 192 countries and regions.

Over 114.4 million cases have been reported worldwide, with recoveries now over 64.60 million, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.

The US, India and Brazil remain the worst-hit countries in terms of cases.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan