What is the most important criterion for normalization after the coronavirus? Ministries have continued to announce a series of increasingly hopeful updates about the coronavirus. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca and members of the Scientific Board have all made encouraging statements about the course of the virus. Minister Koca said that in Istanbul the coronavirus has already peaked. President Erdoğan said after the Cabinet meeting that the light at the end of the tunnel can be seen. Following these positive statements, attention has shifted toward the steps needed for normalization. In fact, criteria for the normalization process have begun to be defined.
Encouraging figures emerging from the fight against the coronavirus have accelerated work on normalization. The primary criterion being considered for starting normalization is that no new cases are reported for five consecutive days. According to this plan, normalization steps will begin in provinces where no new cases have been detected for five days. Controls in Istanbul will continue. Because the normalization process requires a series of coordinated decisions that involve many ministries and institutions, coordination mechanisms will be established. Ministries will be the implementers of the criteria that are set. New directives and task lists are being prepared by the ministries. These task lists will be applied first in provinces with no new cases in the last five days. Provinces that report no new coronavirus cases will be able to resume fuller interaction with other provinces that show similarly stable results.
Coronavirus Has Reached a Plateau in Istanbul!
Coronavirus Has Reached a Plateau in Istanbul! Public health experts who are members of the Scientific Board continue to work on managing the virus. Teams have begun to form to guide the process. Based on the preparation work of these teams, easing measures will be defined. The teams will determine the main rules for enclosed spaces, where masks remain mandatory, which businesses may reopen, and what mandatory rules those businesses must follow.
Meanwhile, a phased transition to new criteria is planned for the tourism and transportation sectors. For the transport sector, issues such as vehicle sterilization, immunity certification for staff, and pandemic training for personnel are on the agenda. Within the framework of international cooperation, once tourism activity resumes, the type of immunity document required from travelers will be determined.
In addition, different criteria will be applied within the normalization process for Istanbul, Gulf provinces and cities such as Izmir. If Istanbul reaches a plateau across the city, estimates currently suggest about 25% antibody formation in the population. Because Istanbul experienced the outbreak most intensely, the number of people with immunity is expected to be higher depending on the number of confirmed cases. For these reasons, strict controls on entries and exits are recommended to continue. Authorities emphasize that such measures are not intended only to prevent spread within Istanbul but also to protect the more stable condition achieved in the city overall and avoid any deterioration of that situation.