Health Ministry considers options for reopening of restaurants
Meltem Özgenç - ANKARA
In the face of an outcry from business owners, the Health Ministry is looking at possible solutions that could pave the way for restaurants and cafes to reopen.
As part of a raft of restrictions the government imposed to stem the spread of COVID-19, restaurants and cafes were closed in November 2020.
Those venues are only allowed to provide takeaway and delivery services, a measure which shop owners say is not enough to keep their businesses afloat.
They have been calling on the government to ease the restrictions and allow a reopening under certain rules.
In response to business owners’ pleas, the Health Ministry is looking at options as to under which conditions restaurants and cafes may reopen.
According to one scenario under consideration, restaurants and cafes may resume their operations in the provinces and districts where the number of COVID-19 cases and the fatalities from the outbreak are declining.
The local public health boards will have the final say on easing the restrictions, which will be offered as a “reward” for the residents of the respective provinces for following the virus-related measures.
Authorities are also working on demands from universities to resume in-class education.
Officials are rather reluctant to give a green light to those requests in the short term due to the risks from the virus variants.
Some propose that universities should resume education from May to August while another proposal suggests that certain classes should continue online while some others could be held face-to-face.
The authorities will further discuss those proposals before announcing a decision.
