February 18 According to the “Central News Agency”, on the 17th local time, Turkish President Erdogan announced that the weekend curfew imposed for the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to be gradually lifted in provinces, and he is considering restoring normal operation of restaurants.
He stressed that Turkey will gradually return to normal from pandemic prevention restrictions from the beginning of March.
It is reported that Erdogan pointed out on the evening of the 17th after the cabinet meeting that Turkey will begin to normalize.
He said: “The plan to open restaurants and pubs will be announced next week.”
Since December 1, 2020, Turkey has strengthened the pandemic prevention measures implemented due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. It has been completely closed for 56 hours from 9:00 p.m. on Friday to 5:00 a.m.
on Monday, and a curfew from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. the next day in the middle of the week. During the year, the whole country is also closed for 80 hours.
Restaurants, pubs and other business places will be limited to take-out or delivery from mid-November 2020.
Erdogan stressed on the 17th: “Escalate from early March, it will gradually return to normal from the pandemic prevention restrictions.” He announced that the authorities would divide the provinces into four categories to promote the relevant work according to the infection rate and vaccination progress.
“The extension of the short-term employment allowance measure until the end of March will be the last extension,” Erdoğan said.
Turkey began to carry out large-scale vaccination on January 14.
According to the pandemic report released by the Ministry of Health on the evening of February 17, the country has added 7,325 confirmed cases and 86 new deaths in the past 24 hours.
A total of 2,609,359 confirmed cases and 27,738 deaths have been recorded.
