On May 4, 2020, President Erdoğan revealed the next steps to start post-COVID-19 normalization. According to the normalization plan, travel restrictions were lifted from seven cities, namely Antalya, Aydin, Erzurum, Hatay, Malatya, Mersin, and Mugla. Moreover, hair salons and shopping malls were reopened as of May 11, 2020, and people over age 65 were allowed to go outside for four hours a day starting on May 10, 2020. As of May 13, 2020, children up to age 14 were able to go out within walking distance of their houses from 11 a.m. till 3 p.m., and people aged 15-20 were able to go out as of May 15, 2020 under the same conditions. He also noted that that the National Solidarity Campaign to raise money to fight the virus and its impact had netted some TL 1.91 billion (U.S.$271 million) in donations.
On May 9-10, 2020, a two-day curfew was imposed in 24 provinces. Curfew was effective in the capital Ankara as well as Adana, Balikesir, Bursa, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Istanbul, Izmir, Kahramanmaras, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Konya, Manisa, Mardin, Ordu, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Tekirdag, Trabzon, Van and Zonguldak.
On May 11, 2020, travel restrictions were lifted from additional 9 cities, namely Adana, Diyarbakır, Mardin, Trabzon, Ordu, Denizli, Kahramanmaraş, Şanlıurfa ve Tekirdağ.
On May 16-19, 2020, a four-day curfew was imposed in 15 provinces, namely Ankara, Balikesir, Bursa, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Istanbul, Izmir, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Konya, Manisa, Sakarya, Samsun, Van and Zonguldak.
On May 23-26, 2020, a four-day nationwide curfew was imposed during the Muslim Eid holiday.
On May 28, 2020, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the next steps on post- COVID-19 normalization. According to the announcement, all intercity travel restrictions would be lifted and civil servants on administrative leave or working remotely would return to their workplaces as of June 1, 2020. Moreover, as of June 1, 2020, enterprises such as restaurants, patisseries, cafes, tea gardens, swimming pools, and hot springs (excluding places of entertainment) would reopen; the motorway service area would begin to serve; beaches, parks, gardens, driving courses, restaurants, archaeological sites, libraries, youth centers and camps, and museums in Turkey would reopen; and daycare centers and kindergartens would reopen. According to the announcement, restrictions on individual sports have ended, while restrictions on sea tourism, fishing, and transportation were also lifted within the determined rules. Curfew on children under age 18 was lifted for Wednesdays and Fridays between 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. According to the announcement, the curfew was set to continue for people over age 65 except Sundays between 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
On May 28, 2020, a two-day curfew was declared in 15 provinces, to be imposed on May 30-31, 2020. The curfew was to be in effect in Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Balikesir, Bursa, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Konya, Manisa, Sakarya, Samsun, Van and Zonguldak.
On June 1, 2020, domestic flights resumed as part of the normalization process, with the first flights coming from Istanbul to major cities of Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, and Trabzon provinces.
On June 4, 2020, Turkey reopened its customs gates with Iran and Iraq after months of closure due to COVID-19.
On June 11, 2020, Turkey lifted restrictions on entrances and exits for Turkish citizens and foreign nationals, except for the country’s land border with Iran. Moreover, on the same day, 14-day home quarantine was lifted for Turkish expats visiting the Republic. The Istanbul Airport partially resumed on to international flights, which had been suspended for two months, as part of the normalization process from the COVID-19 pandemic. Turkey’s national flag carrier Turkish Airlines began scheduling flights again from Istanbul Airport to Germany, the UK and the Netherlands.
On June 12, 2020, Turkey’s top-tier football league resumed after a three-month break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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