Citizens aged 65 and over restricted from going out in Ankara

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA) - Archive

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As the number of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases has recently been increasing across Turkey, a series of restrictions have been imposed on the citizens aged 65 and over and the ones suffering from chronic diseases in the the capital city of Ankara after the provinces of Batman, Kırıkkale, Sivas, Bursa, Malatya, Urfa, Siirt, Düzce and Maraş.

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As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), the people who are 65 years of age and above and those having chronic diseases have been restricted access to weddings, funerals, condolences, market places and social activities where masses are expected to gather.

The duration of the street wedding parties has also been limited to two hours while the mass serving of food to wedding attendees has been banned. 

As part of the measures to curb the spread of the virus, public transport and taxis will be required to place a fiberglass separator in vehicles between drivers and passengers. Furthermore, local teams will be constituted within the Infection Control Centers in the capital city to ensure to check regularly the identified patients and those who are in quarantine.

Administrative fine, Article 195 of TCK

Those who do not comply with the obligation to stay indoors will be imposed an administrative fine as per the Article 282 of the Law on Public Health. In addition, a legal action will be taken about the acts constituting crimes as per the Article 195 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

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Bans, restrictions in nine provinces

Since last weekend, restrictions have been imposed on the citizens aged 65 and over in the provinces of Batman, Kırıkkale, Sivas, Bursa, Malatya, Urfa, Siirt, Düzce and Maraş.

In Turkey's western province of Bursa, the citizens at and over the age of 65 have been restricted from going out in public from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4.30 p.m. to 7 p.m. during the day.

In Turkey's eastern provinces of Malatya, Sivas and Batman, citizens aged 65 and over will be allowed to go out from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. In Kırıkkale, they have been restricted from going out between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The decision of restriction has been taken in Urfa from 6 to 10 in the morning and 4 to 6 in the evening, it has been taken from 5 to 12 p.m. in Siirt.

In Maraş province, they have been restricted from using public transport from 7 to 10 in the morning and 5 to 10 in the evening and going to fruit and vegetable bazaars after 5 in the evening.

In Düzce province, the citizens aged 65 and over have been restricted from attending weddings if the newly-weds are not first degree relatives. (EKN/SD)