The Latest Covid Restrictions In Turkey

The Latest Covid Restrictions In Turkey

After the tightened restrictions which also included a nationwide lockdown, Turkey decided to loosen the grip due to the opinion of the government. Regional normalization was started to be applied by the beginning of March which was highly appreciated by the society where the prohibitions were partially over.

The cities were divided into four categories, and the new ruling was implemented accordingly regarding the potential of the spread. The ratio of the infected over the total population was the key point to determine the category of each city, so the map was updated by the government every two weeks. This procedure is no longer in process, again, decisions are taken to be practiced all over the country no matter what the situations are in the provinces. The latest Covid restrictions in Turkey will be as follows.

For instance, despite the decrease in the new cases, restaurants, cafes, bars, and bistros remain closed for seated service. They only offer takeaways and deliveries. The lockdown for locals still continues as it did before Ramadan; between 9 pm and 5 am on weekdays and all the weekend, locals are not allowed to go out.

They can only supply their basic needs from nearby where they reside. The education resumes online, only a few of the classes that are necessary go to school. Also, the elders are now free to go out after the lockdown.

Restrictions For Tourists and Touristic Activity In Istanbul

Although tourists are exempted from the lockdown, they were considerably affected by the regulations regarding the Covid spread.

The obligation to prove a negative covid test to enter the country is still in force. Even the lockdown is not valid for them, they are not privileged in the restaurants and some of the attractions remain closed for them as well. They should also get a HES code now which is a bit tricky to use for public transportation.

During the lockdown visiting hours of the museums are limited and some of the inner-city lines including the Bosphorus cruises are not operated which is somehow disappointing for the tourists.

They now do not have the option to experience the Bosphorus at night from a dinner cruise as there is no food served aboard like the restaurants. Meanwhile, the bazaars and shopping malls are not open on the days of curfew which means that there is no activity left for tourists besides visiting the museums that are open.

These are the rules to be followed by the end of Ramadan. There is an expectation in society that there will be gradual normalization starting from the beginning of June as the number of new cases is lowered and the tourism season approaches.

The Turkish government announced that the majority of the population will be vaccinated by the end of June, so there is a strong belief that things will be normal very soon.

If you are looking for a trip to Turkey this summer, we as Guided Istanbul Tours, will be more than happy to organize your tours and transfers. Please do not hesitate to drop us a message in order to get assistance.

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