Turkey scraps mask requirement as COVID-19 pandemic eases
(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
health Minister Fahrettin Koca revealed late Wednesday that
Turkey is scrapping the outdoor mask requirement as the COVID-19
pandemic eases thanks to the country's vaccination efforts,
Trend reports citing
Daily
Sabah .
Outlining the new measures at a press conference, Koca said that
masks will no longer be mandatory indoors 'if ventilation is
adequate' but added that they are still crucial in certain
environments, such as around immunocompromised people or those with
diseases that can make a COVID-19 infection lethal.
Venues will no longer require people to scan their HES QR code
on entry, Koca said, referring to the Hayat Eve Sığar (Life Fits
Into Home) app developed by the Health Ministry that creates a QR
code based on personal health records. 'COVID-19 tests will not be
required for those without symptoms,' he added.
Koca also said that only 8% of people who tested positive for
COVID-19 and died last month had no other diseases, adding that the
'remaining 92% were diagnosed with other illnesses earlier.'
The Health Ministry on Monday released figures related to the
weekly incidence of COVID-19 in Turkey's 81 provinces for the week
between Feb. 12 and Feb. 18. The figures show a relative decline in
cases per 100,000 people. Istanbul, the most populous city,
reported just 617 cases per 100,000 while this number was around
1,216 for the capital Ankara and about 776 for the third-largest
city Izmir.
Istanbul had 717 cases in the first week of February while
Ankara and Izmir had 1,323 and 1,017 cases, respectively.
MENAFN02032022000187011040ID1103790784
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.