Turkey further relaxing COVID-19 restrictions as of Thursday

Turkey on Sunday announced further easing of COVID-19 restrictions from July 1 as part of a gradual normalization from the outbreak.

According to a circular issued by the Interior Ministry, curfews will be fully scrapped and intercity travel restrictions will end as of Thursday.

All workplaces and cinemas, which have suspended their activities as part of coronavirus measures, will reopen.

Cafes and restaurants will serve people with no limitation on the guest number in indoor and outdoor areas.

Restrictions and measures in accommodation facilities will end, with hygiene, mask, and social distancing rules still to be followed.

Outdoor wedding ceremonies will be held without a guest limit and food/drink can be served, while some restrictions are still in place for indoor ceremonies.

Events such as concerts, festivals, and youth camps will be allowed provided that the previously set rules are followed.

Parks, gardens, picnic, and camp areas will be open to the public.

Besides, mandatory quarantine for travelers from Bangladesh, Brazil, South Africa, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka and those who have been in these countries in the last 14 days will end.

The mandatory quarantine period for people arriving in Turkey from Afghanistan and Pakistan or who have been in these countries in the last 14 days will be reduced to 10 days.

On Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that Turkey is set to end pandemic curfews as of July 1 amid a nationwide fall in COVID-19 cases.

On June 1, the country eased some measures following a 17-day strict lockdown.

Since December 2019, the pandemic has claimed over 3.9 million lives in 192 countries and regions, with more than 180.8 million cases reported worldwide, according to the US' Johns Hopkins University.