Turkey “boils” due to coronavirus: Citizens ignore measures and cases rise

The coronavirus is in the “red” in Turkey, the cases have been launched but the citizens continue to be unruly.

The sign on Fikret Oluk’s bus in Istanbul reads in red letters “Turkey Stay Home” but the driver says passengers are ignoring the rules and crowding, often without masks.

THE Turkey has the highest level of covid daily cases in Europe and the Middle East and following calls from doctors and the opposition, authorities stepped up restrictive measures last week.

The new measures limit the number of passengers on Fikret Oluk’s bus to 69 in vain. “It simply came to our notice then. They attack us and put us in a difficult position. How not to worry? Our lives depend on these masks. “But unfortunately, just as people do not think for themselves, they do not think for us.”

Talks with Turks who have received the first installment vaccine or waiting to be vaccinated show mixed fear and frustration with record-breaking cases and deaths, as well as poor compliance.

The head of the Turkish Medical Association says she believes the biggest stumbling block to the Tayyip Erdogan government was the widespread easing of restrictive measures in March, when reported daily falls fell below 10,000. He believes the decision sacrificed the benefits of the whole winter and called it a “social murder”.

“We called it ‘social murder’ because they already know what will cause these deaths and they have not taken any precautionary measures,” said Sebnem Korutsu Finjanci. In her opinion, inter-city travel, industrial activity and the operation of public transport should be stopped.

Erdogan and his government came under fire last month for holding a ruling party congress attended by thousands of people, many of whom violated the rules of social distancing and did not wear masks. The Turkish leadership has been accused of undermining efforts to stem the epidemic.

Nurettin Gigit, director of the new Istanbul hospital set up specifically for the epidemic, said the effects of the recent outbreak on the health system were smaller and described the decision to relax the measures as “unfortunate”.

“As soon as we started this controlled normalization, the entry of new variants (of the virus) from other countries began,” he attributes the launch of the cases and the internal movements of people in Turkey.

Ankara, as reported by the Athens News Agency, attributes the outbreak of the epidemic to the new variants, saying that about 85% of all cases are related to the British variant of the virus. He admits, however, that the measures of social distancing and mask use are not observed.

Last week, Health Minister Faretin Kotsa told Hurriyet that the solution to the “serious increase” in cases is the acceleration of vaccinations. He reiterated that the goal is to “vaccinate all citizens over the age of 20 by July”.

However, Sebnem Korucu Fincanji considers the goal of vaccination unrealistic, while criticizing the inaccurate published data on the number of cases and deaths. “They have to be realistic, there has to be transparency,” he says.

According to a Reuters report, Turkey has given about 18 million doses of vaccine, covering only 11% of the population.

The Turkish government rejects criticisms of health crisis management, saying “public health is a priority”.

There are new measures “Stay Home” for the weekends, while from the beginning of Ramadan tomorrow the restaurants will not be open for the unique fasting dinner.

But the country has been open to business since last June, with temperatures rising in recent days, flooding the streets and cafes, worrying those who abide by the restrictions.

“I have not drank tea in coffee for 11 months. “I do not leave the house,” says a 62-year-old who has just received the first dose of the vaccine.

“I will continue to be careful until I take the second dose”, even if the others do not take action. “They expect everything from the state. But it depends on us. “If we are careful, we will not get sick.”