Podcast2.3 million people visited shopping malls in two days after Turkey eased coronavirus restrictions
Some 2.3 million people visited shopping malls in two days after Turkish authorities eased restrictions imposed over the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Shopping Centers and Investors Association head Hüseyin Altaş said that the numbers are on expected levels.
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Some 2.3 million people visited shopping malls in two days after Turkish authorities eased restrictions imposed over the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Shopping Centers and Investors Association head Hüseyin Altaş said that 1.2 million people visited shopping malls on May 11, the first day that they opened, while the number was 1.1 million the next day.
Altaş also said that the average number of daily visitors was 6.5 million before the pandemic.
The malls were opened despite criticism from the Health Ministry's Science Commission for being too soon.
According to Altaş, the numbers are on expected levels.
"We predicted that we would start with 20 percent [of the regular visitors]. We'll eventually reach 30, 40 and 50 percent and it would rise to 60 and 70 percent after September," he said.
Responding to criticism on long queues in front of shopping malls, Altaş said, "It doesn't stem from the high number of people, but the health controls in entrances."
"Since people are abiding by social distancing, entrances and exits are taking time," he said.