Turkey eases strictures on travel for tourists despite lockdown

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

A 17-day confinement remained in effect in Turkey on Sunday, ahead of the easing of some restrictions on Monday, while restaurants and cafes will remain closed, the Interior Minister said.

Other restrictions that are to remain in effect include a 9:00 PM curfew until 1 June, and the continued closure of schools. On the other hand, inter-city travel will be authorised once more.

The restrictions do not apply to tourists, a fact which, like the ban on alcohol sales, has aroused the anger of many Turkish people.

In fact, a promotional tourist video was withdrawn from the internet due to public anger, as it showed tourism-sector workers wearing face masks with the logo “Enjoy, I’m vaccinated.”

The opposition described the video as an insult because giving the vaccine to workers in the tourism sector has led other residents to feel like second-class citizens.

In Turkey, 18% of the 84 million inhabitants have received a first dose of a vaccine against the coronavirus. Since the start of the pandemic, the country has registered 5.1 million infections and 44,500 deaths.

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