Survey: Half of people continue to stay at home, 80 percent say Turkey reopened 'too fast'

Disinfection work at a local marketplace in the capital Ankara. (Photo: AA)

Click to read the article in Turkish

Half of the people in Turkey continue to stay at home, wash their hands frequently and maintain physical distance with others, according to a survey by Hopi, a shopping app with more than eight million users in Turkey.

About 75 percent of the 1,300 participants said they never go out without a face mask, using which is mandatory in more than 50 of the 81 provinces of the country.

Turkey began a reopening process at the start of June, lifting many restrictions, including weekend curfews for larger cities, and reopening cafes, restaurants and recreation areas.

However, only six percent of the participants said they have "returned to normal."

The first thing one out of every five people after the reopening was going to the hairdresser, according to the survey. Fifteen percent went to a shopping mall, eight percent went to a restaurant they liked, 25 percent saw a close friend, and five percent went on a holiday.

On the other hand, 58 percent said they wouldn't go on holiday this summer. Thirty percent said they continue to wash products they bought from grocery stores.

The reopening was "too fast"

The percentage of people who said the reopening was "too fast" and they continued applying precautionary measures was 80 percent as 77 percent said they feared a second wave of the epidemic.

Seven percent said they were not too careful about physical distancing and 92 percent said they expected an increase in new infections.

While nine percent said they have been going to cafes and restaurants, 70 percent said they wouldn't.

In İstanbul, the largest and the most affected city from the pandemic, people continue to work from home while many have returned to workplaces in Anatolian cities. (EMK/VK)