Turkey imposes countrywide smoking restrictions

* Photo: Pixabay

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Turkey's Ministry of Interior issued a circular letter titled "Coronavirus measures" yesterday (November 11) amid an increase in the number of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the country.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), with the circular sent to the governor's offices of the country's 81 provinces, the Interior Ministry has declared that a smoking ban will be introduced in "areas like avenues, streets and stops where citizens are crowded."

The circular letter of the Ministry has also included a stay-home order for people over 65 years old between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. local time. Accordingly, the ones aged 65 and older can be restricted from going out at certain hours of the day by the governor's offices of individual provinces.

New restrictions in İzmir

* Photo: AA - İzmir (Archive)

Earlier yesterday, the Governor's Office of İzmir also imposed new COVID-19 measures in the Aegean city.

Announcing the ban on his Twitter account, İzmir Governor Yavuz Selim Köşger has indicated that since the earthquake shook the city on October 30, the number of cases has increased by more than twice.

Accordingly, the residents who are 65 and older have been restricted from leaving their homes except for certain hours as part of measures to stem the spread of the virus. The elderly are allowed outside between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., as is now also the case in İstanbul and Ankara.

An exception has been made for public servants and those who are in certain professions, including doctors, healthcare workers, pharmacists, elected public officials, social workers and others. Business owners, traders, industrialists, farmers, those who are self-employed and the heads of professional associations have been also exempted from restrictions.

While the pregnant women will be put on administrative leave, smoking on the street has been banned all across the city.

Turkey has so far reported more than 402,000 COVID-19 patients; while over 344,000 of the patients have recovered from the disease, the virus has claimed 11,613 lives in the country so far. (EKN/SD)