Hairdressers, beauty salons reopened as Turkey eases COVID-19 restrictions

ANKARA

Turkey on May 11 saw shopping malls, barber shops, and beauty salons open up under new social distancing restrictions as the first phase of easing measures, which were taken to control the spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

In a written statement on May 10, the Interior Ministry said that as of May 11, barber shops, hairdressers, beauty salons and centers will be able to continue their works with the new restrictions.

The ministry also said that sales of clothing items, toys, flowers, seedlings, glassware, and hardware will also continue at the open market places in cities, districts, and towns.

“It is of utmost importance that business owners, managers, employees and citizens abide by social distancing and hygiene rules, and obligatory mask-wearing,” read the statement.

The venues were closed on March 21 to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier this month unveiled the details of the normalization plan, designed to roll back the coronavirus measures gradually.

“Turkey would start easing them in May, June, and July as the spreading pace began slowing over the past two weeks,” Erdoğan said on May 4 after a Cabinet meeting.

Erdoğan had also said that shopping malls would be allowed to open starting on May 11, as would barber shops, hairdressers and beauty parlors — as long as they work on a system of appointment and accept customers at half-capacity.

In another statement issued on May 9, the Interior Ministry also elaborated on the details of the precautions which will be taken at shopping malls.

According to the ministry, all citizens are required to wear protective face masks when entering the malls. Their temperatures will also be taken during the entrance, and in the event of detecting fever, the citizen will be asked to visit a health institution.

Social distancing rules will also be strictly observed in shopping malls, and citizens will be able to stay at the malls for at most three hours. They will also not be allowed to walk in groups.

Furthermore, the ministry said that the number of shoppers in malls will be limited to one person per 10 square meters.

After recording its first coronavirus case on March 11, Turkey shut down entertainment venues, sports facilities and imposed travel bans.

New airport measures to stem virus resurgence

In the meantime, airports introduced new measures to protect public health, Turkey's top airport official said on May 11.

Physical conditions in airports will be reorganized according to social distancing rules, said Hüseyin Keskin, head of the State Airports Authority Directorate (DHMI) in a tweet.

Lines for check-in and seating areas will be arranged in a way to facilitate distancing, he noted.

"To reduce the density and contact, necessary arrangements will be made in the luggage areas, and sufficient distance will be provided between the luggage tapes," he added.

Keskin said the scope of the measures will be expanded in all processes, from entering airports to departure.