Ban on private vehicles in Istanbul, extension of curfew to less than 18 years old on the horizon

Duvar English

The government is considering increased preventative measures including a potential lockdown in Istanbul to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, daily Türkiye and daily Hürriyet reported April 3. 

According to Hürriyet, Istanbul might experience a ban on private vehicles, which would be compensated with increased bus trips.

Some 100,000 people in Istanbul applied for travel permits, but were turned down.

Ankara revealed itself to be the province that adhered most vigilantly to preventative measures with self-isolation rates of 85 percent.

Meanwhile according to a report at Türkiye, a potential modification to the current curfew on individuals 65 and above, enforcing it on citizens aged 60 and above instead. 

A curfew might be placed on persons aged 18 or less, the same report said.  

Rates of social isolation in eastern and southeastern provinces rose to 70 percent, after Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu’s remarks that these cities were “problematic” in complying with preventative measures.

The Interior Ministry also allegedly warned governors and elected leaders of villages on enforcing a 14-day quarantine on any visitors arriving from outside of the local population. 

“The Iranian border was monitored closely. The footages circulating social media that show mass entrances at the Iranian border are simply not recent. This isn’t happening,” sources “close to the Interior Ministry” reportedly said to Türkiye. 

Special forces squads are assigned to the eastern borders, the Syrian border and the Thracian border with Greece, the same sources also said.