Turkey: Authorities impose four-day weekend lockdown in major cities May 15-19 /update 22

Event

On Monday, May 11, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that a four-day partial curfew will be imposed on major cities, including Istanbul and Ankara, over the holiday weekend beginning at midnight (local time) on Friday, May 15, and ending at midnight on Tuesday, May 19. Weekend lockdown measures have been a regular feature in Turkey over recent weeks as part of efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In 31 cities, all non-essential movement will be banned over the weekend, although food retailers will be open between 10:00 and 16:00 (local time) on Monday and Tuesday.

Alongside announcing the lockdown, Erdoğan also stated that inter-city travel bans would be lifted in nine more cities as steps towards easing COVID-19 restrcitions continue. The affected cities are Adana, Diyarbakir, Mardin, Trabzon, Ordu, Denizli, Kahramanmaras, Sanliurfa, and Tekirdag. Restrictions remain in place for the three largest cities, Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. Those over the age of 65 and under 20, who had been under stay-at-home orders for over a month, have been permitted set times in which they are now allowed to leave their homes. Over 65's can go outside between 11:00 and 17:00 on Sunday, May 17, and young people will be able to go out between the same times on either Wednesday, May 20, or Friday, May 22, depending on their age group. Both groups will have to stay within walking distance of their homes and wear face masks when going outside.

From May 11, barbershops, shopping centers, and small shops will be allowed to reopen as long as they implement appropriate safety measures. Meanwhile, all schools, universities, restaurants, bars, cafes, and cinemas remain closed nationwide. Supermarket opening hours are limited with a maximum of one customer for every 10 square meters (108 sq ft) of shop space. Buses will not be allowed to exceed 50 percent capacity and officials have also suspended public events and activities.

All international flights remain suspended until further notice. According to local sources, Turkish Airlines has announced plans to resume domestic flights and some international flights from June. The airline is expected to resume flights to 22 cities (19 countries) in June and gradually add destinations through July and August. The 19 countries that flights will resume to are: Canada, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Japan, China, South Korea, Singapore, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Norway, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Belarus, Israel, Kuwait, Georgia, and Lebanon.

As of Tuesday, May 12, authorities have confirmed 139,771 cases of COVID-19 in the country and 3841 associated deaths. Further international spread of the virus is to be expected over the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Human-to-human and patient-to-medical staff transmission of the virus have been confirmed. Many of the associated fatalities have been due to pneumonia caused by the virus. 

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. 

Pneumonia symptoms include dry cough, chest pain, fever, and trouble breathing. Pneumonia can be contagious and can be transmitted from human to human. The influenza virus, or the flu, is a common cause of viral pneumonia.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly, and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.  
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.  
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the virus.