Pandemic situation to improve further in summer, say experts

ISTANBUL

The COVID-19 situation in Turkey is expected to improve further this summer, experts have said, while also warning about risks from social events during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Encouraged by the recent decline in the number of daily cases and deaths from the coronavirus, experts now think that Turkey will be able to take a deep sigh of relief from the pandemic in the coming months.

They noted that the positivity rates have declined below 5 percent in the past couple of days, lower than the 8 percent in September last year. Meanwhile, Turkey has been recording fewer deaths from COVID-19.

In August 2021, some 5,400 people lost their lives due to the pandemic, while in March this year, 3,580 fatalities were reported. The daily casualties have been below 50 since the start of April.

Experts also said that unless another wave of infections hits Turkey, the pandemic might turn into an endemic by the end of the year.

Despite the improving outlook, experts still voice their concern about potential virus risks that may emerge during Ramadan.

Experts warned people to wear face masks and observe social distancing when they stand in long queues in front of bakeries to buy Ramadan’s specialty “pide” or gather in groups for fast-breaking meals and prayers in mosques.

They also expressed worries over the slower pace of the vaccinations. People are ignoring calls for getting their shots and are behaving rather more complacently than before about following basic anti-virus rules because of the decline in the rate of infection, they said, noting that only 5,000 people got their shots on the weekend.

Experts pointed out that the immunization rate in Turkey is believed to have reached 80 percent. But this is not due to the vaccinations but due to the number of people who had the virus.

In early February this year, Turkey witnessed a spike in cases. The daily number of infections surpassed 100,000, with deaths from the virus hovering around 300. Toward the end of February, coronavirus cases began to fall, and the decline continued in the following weeks.

According to data from the Health Ministry, the number of coronavirus cases has remained below 20,000 since March 18.