Turkey is not taking the Covid-19 pandemic lightly. The Middle East country is imposing strict fines for those caught not wearing their mask. According to The Su n, locals and tourists face a fine of up to 900 lira (about R2200) if they do not wear a mask in public, whether they are at shops, restaurants or out and about.
Turkey imposed the rule in The 81 provinces in Turkey, including Istanbul, Ankara and Muğla to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country. If locals or travellers fail to adhere to the country’s first warning, the second will result in the fine.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, according to local publication Daily Sabah, spoke about the increased infections and deaths caused by Covid-19. He encouraged people to continue to social distance, wear masks and practice hygiene.
The latest Covid-19 figures show that Turkey has over
189 000 confirmed cases and 4 974 deaths. Meanwhile, Turkey's national flag carrier airline Turkish Airlines said in a statement that it will ensure the health of passengers and crews.
The airline announced its new ‘Guidelines for Safe Travel’, which introduced two new inflight services, including hygiene kits containing a face mask, disinfectant and antiseptic tissue, and cabin crews will be appointed to flights to enforce all on-board hygiene and social distancing measures.
Turkish Airlines’ aircrafts will be disinfected before every flight, and all contact points in the aircraft are comprehensively cleaned using chemicals safe for human health. Special equipment and products will be used for different surfaces such as seats, windows, screens and lavatories.