Turkey prepares to welcome 2021 under lockdown

ISTANBUL

Turkey is set to welcome the new year under a four-day lockdown, spanning from tonight 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Jan. 4 as part of measures against COVID-19.

The authorities this month had re-introduced weekend lockdowns as well as nighttime curfews amid a spike in infections and deaths.

For the first time, there will be no partying in the streets of the country and entertainment venues will remain shut.

Supermarkets, grocery stores, bakeries, butchers, and dried fruit shops will operate over the four-day curfew and restaurants will only offer delivery service.

Fish stores will also operate between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. over the weekend.

People will be permitted to go to nearby shops for basic needs during the day, however, those violating the curfew will be fined.

Some sectors, including production, supply, health, and agriculture, will be exempt from the curfews.

Hours before 2021, some flocked to holiday centers from metropolitan cities.

In the resort town of Bodrum, which is having one of the most crowded winter months in its history due to the pandemic, its population of 170,000 reached 430,000 with the effect of New Year holiday.

The population of the resort town of Bodrum, which had one of the most crowded winter months in history due to the pandemic, has reached 430,000 from 170,000 with the effect of New Year holiday.

According to police sources, 3,698 vehicles were driving toward Bodrum in the last 24 hours due to the holiday.

While the traffic in the city increased, the streets were more crowded than ever in the winter months.

Mayor Ahmet Aras said that in case of a violation of New Year’s restrictions, an immediate intervention would be taken by the authorities.