How Turkey is recovering from the pandemic

Turkey ranks among the top five nations in the world in testing ratio, according to the country’s communications director Fahrettin Altun.

In an op-ed for the Washington Times, Altun highlights the key milestones Turkey has achieved in its fight against the pandemic.

”Turkey has invested in its health workforce and built new hospitals, with plans underway predating Covid-19 for 10 new hospitals across Turkey’s densest urban centers,” Altun said. 

“In fact, we (Turkey) are one of the few countries in our region to offer universal health care after spending significant time reforming the system beginning in 2003”. 

Turkey’s fatality rate is about 50 people per million, while it is about 593 in Spain, 529 in Italy, 513 in the UK, and 278 in the US.

Altun said aggressive mass testing played a vital role in helping the government flatten the curve. 

Altun said it was not just the health sector that put up a strong fight against Covid-19, but measures were also taken from the economic aspect to ensure ordinary Turks had enough money to help navigate the tough times. 

“To cushion the blow to businesses and households, the government has postponed debt payments and reduced taxes, and is providing 36-month fixed interest rate loans with deferred payment to all businesses,” Altun said.

“We (Turkey) halted all international flights, restricted domestic travel, closed schools, bars and cafes, and suspended mass prayers. We have also begun imposing weekend lockdowns in larger cities to curb the outbreak.”

Turkey has also sent medical aids to dozens of countries amid the pandemic.

What is next for Turkey?

Towards the end of Ramadan and after Eid, the Turkish government is planning to speed up the process of normalisation. Sectors like the tourism and catering industry will gradually open, all the while keeping the essential medical advice at the fore.

Mosques are scheduled to reopen from 29 May, starting with the Friday prayer. The suspended top-tier Super Lig football competitions will restart on 12 June.

“Turkey acts responsibly in all these processes, not only for the health of our citizens but also for its guests to ensure that they have their holidays at peace,” Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said.

Ersoy launched a "healthy tourism certification" project to ensure high health and hygiene standards are maintained at airports and in every other mode of transportation, including hotel accommodations and food venues.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently said that a nationwide curfew will be imposed during the Eid holiday. The measure will be taken in light of repelling the potential second wave of the pandemic.