Curfew for Citizens 65 Years and Older, Chronically Ill

* Some municipalities have temporarily removed park benches - AA / Eskişehir

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In a statement released by the Ministry of Interior on Twitter at around 7 p.m. today (March 21), it has been announced, "As of March 21 Saturday at 24:00, our citizens who are 65 years and older and who also have chronic diseases will be restricted from going out in public and walking in open areas such as parks and gardens under the Article 11 of the Law for Provincial Administration and the Article 27 of the Law on Public Health."

The Ministry has posted te below tweet:

DUYURU
21 Mart Cumartesi saat 24.00 itibariyle 65 yaş ve üstü, ayrıca kronik rahatsızlığı olan vatandaşlarımızın ikametlerinden dışarı çıkmaları, park, bahçe gibi açık alanlarda dolaşmaları sınırlandırıldı.

Ayrıntılı bilgi saat 19.30’da vatandaşlarımıza açıklanacaktır.

— T.C. İçişleri Bakanlığı (@TC_icisleri) March 21, 2020

Following this tweet, the Ministry has shared the full circular letter sent to the Governor's Offices of all 81 provinces in Turkey.

The circular entitled "Circular Letter on Curfew for Citizens 65 Years and Older and Chronically Ill" has stressed that Covid-19 "risks human life by causing serious health problems for the ones who are 65 years and older, whose immune systems are weak, who have a chronic pulmonary disease, asthma, KOAH, cardiac/vascular disease, kidney, hypertension and liver diseases and who use medicine impairing the immune system."

Accordingly, the Ministry of Interior has ordered the Governor's Offices to "swiftly take necessary measures to impose a curfew on the citizens 65 years and older and the ones who have the aforementioned chronic diseases by restricting them from leaving their residences, walking in open areas and parks and using public transportation."

Within this context, the Ministry has also announced that an "Aged 65 and Older Loyalty Social Support Group" will be established and chaired by the Governor's and Sub-Governor's Offices to meet the basic needs of citizens 65 years and older and chronically ill so that especially the ones who live alone and cannot meet their demands by themselves will not have any grievances as a result of the curfew.

The Group will consist of representatives from public institutions and organizations, local administrations, the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), Red Cross and non-governmental organizations to be designated by the province/district security director, province/district gendarmerie commander, governor/sub-governor.

According to the circular, the citizens restricted from going out can also call 112 emergency service line, 155 police emergency line and 156 gendarmerie emergency line to inform them about their needs. Public officers and vehicles, especially law enforcement officer, will be appointed to respond to these calls and provide the requested services.

(DB/SD)