Turkey to partially lift COVID-19 restrictions on June 1

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that a series of restrictions, which were previously imposed to curb the COVID-19 ...

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that a series of restrictions, which were previously imposed to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, would be partially lifted on June 1.

Turkey will lift restrictions on domestic travel and allow restaurants, cafes, parks, beaches, and sports facilities to reopen as of June 1, Erdogan said during a televised speech on Thursday.

Daycare centres and kindergartens, libraries, as well as museums, will also be reopened from June 1, he said, adding that public personnel would also return to their jobs on the same date, reports Xinhua news agency.

But the restriction on the movements of those aged over 65 and under 18 would continue, Erdogan added.

The government closed restaurants, cafes, bars, and other locations in mid-March when COVID-19 was first seen in the country, and imposed a ban on domestic travel in early April.

"If we see anything negative, we could reintroduce the restrictions," Erdogan said.

The COVID-19 death toll in Turkey has climbed to 4,461 and the number of confirmed cases totalled 160,979, according to the latest figures announced by the Health Ministry.

( With inputs from IANS )