Turkey to impose four-day lockdown during Eid al-Fitr holiday as part of measures to stem COVID-19 pandemic: Erdoğan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Monday that a four-day lockdown starting on May 23 would be imposed nationwide as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus during the Eid al-Fitr religious holiday.

The holiday marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan and Turks usually gather with family and friends to celebrate, sometimes travelling to different towns or cities.

The lockdown, which will bar most people from leaving home, is the broadest so far in Turkey, where previous lockdowns have been imposed in 31 or fewer cities.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Erdoğan also said schools would only reopen fully with the new academic year in September.

The education ministry said distance learning - via the internet or television - would continue until June 19, the last day of the current academic year.

Turkey has started taking steps to ease lockdown measures aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus as the number of daily cases has declined from a peak in April.
People aged over 65 and under 20 have been under full lockdown. Erdoğan announced that older people will be allowed out for several hours Sunday for the third week running, while everyone else is inside. Children and teenagers will be allowed out for a second time this week, at allotted days and times.

Erdoğan said mosques would begin allowing mass prayers for midday and afternoon prayers as of May 29. He also said the house arrest period for prisoners who were released as part of coronavirus measures had been extended for two months.

Reiterating that the state was standing with its people in these turbulent times, Erdoğan said, financial aid was dispatched to 5.5 million low-income citizens.

The president called on citizens to mark Youth and Sports Day on May 19 by singing the national anthem at 7.19 p.m. (1619GMT).