‘It is not Enough to Say “Stay Home”, A Serious Isolation is Necessary’

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As part of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) measures, country-wide curfews have been imposed in several countries, with Azerbaijan, where the current death toll is four, as the latest country that has followed suit.

As a quarantine has not yet been put into effect in Turkey, İstanbul Medical Chamber Chair Pof. Dr. Pınar Saip has commented, "We, as physicians, want the social movement to be severely restricted."

Prof. Dr. Saip has also referred to the petition opened to signature by Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK), Confederation of Public Workers' Unions (KESK), Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) and Turkish Medical Association (TTB).

CLICK - Unions, Professional Organizations Request 'Urgent Measures'

"As you know, the DİSK, KESK, TMMOB and the TTB have a package that they have opened for signature and where they have recommended seven urgent precautions," Saip has said and continued as follows:

'A serious isolation is necessary'

"In order to do this, there is a need for a serious isolation by ensuring the conditions where people can stay home - I mean, where no one will be dismissed, people will be granted the necessary economic support and all workplaces, except for food and health facilities, will be closed.

"The elderly are at home, but the ones caring for them are outside.

"It is of considerable use if a quarantine is imposed in, at least, big cities such as İstanbul, İzmir and Kocaeli, where industry is developed and the number of cases is high."

'Saying "stay home" is not enough'

Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Vice Chair Prof. Dr. Ali Çerkezoğlu has also noted that "isolation, quarantine, or whatever we want to call it, will not happen only by warning or recommending citizens."

"It needs to be seriously coordinated, organized and inspected," Çerkezoğlu has said and added, "It is sometimes necessary for a province, such as İstanbul, or for a town. The isolation of that area is necessary by undertaking a very serious work within this context."

Çerkezoğlu has also stated the following to bianet:

'Quarantine won't happen only by saying it'

"None of these is done in Turkey. Urging 83 million to stay home or not... They have left it at the point of recommendation. We think that neither of them is right. (...) They are also not applicable or result-oriented.

"The state, government and the Ministry of Health must arrange it anyway. Quarantine is not something that will happen only by saying it to happen. Contact cannot be prevented by saying 'Don't come into contact.'

"You are obliged to follow each an every development and patient step by step. Of course, it is perhaps impossible to do it in full extent, but you must at least make efforts for that. It does not happen, which we criticize."

What do the professional organizations recommend?

• Apart from those producing necessary and urgent goods and services, all work must be urgently stopped.
• Dismissals should be banned during the pandemic, small shop owners should be supported, employees should be granted paid leave and the unemployed should be unconditionally paid unemployment salary.
• Payments of consumer, house and vehicle loans, credit card debts, and electricity, water, natural gas and communication bills should be postponed without interest rates during the outbreak risk.
• In this period, private health providers should be brought under public control, citizens' access to healthcare services should be completely free of charge, without exceptions and preconditions.
• The coordination in the fight against the pandemic should be strictly disciplined, scientific approach and information sharing should be open and transparent. Regarding Covid-19 tests, which have become a criterion of trust, a scientific, pervasive and fair process where results are announced quickly should be ensured.
• In all indispensable jobs, especially physicians, health and municipal workers, all deficiencies, most notably protective equipment, should be eliminated, it must be ensured that there will be no disruptions and those who work in these jobs should be tested regularly.
• Practical and legal regulations must be implemented for those who are considered the most disadvantaged groups during periods of a pandemic, the poor who do not have any income or savings, migrants and prisoners.

(PT/SD)