President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ruled out a COVID-19-related curfew for Qurban Bayram, or Eid al-Adha, like the one imposed during Ramadan Bayram, or Eid al-Fitr, back in May, for now. "It is difficult to take such a step but certainly, (the Health Ministry’s) Coronavirus Science Board will assess it. Qurban Bayram is different (than other holidays). People will slaughter sacrificial animals and will visit each other. So, a curfew is not on our agenda for now," he said.

Earlier, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca dismissed the idea of a full lockdown for the holiday, which will start on July 31. He added, however, that they might impose measures on a provincial basis, depending on the number of coronavirus cases.

The holiday, where every Muslim who can afford is obliged to sacrifice an animal, usually sees an exodus of people to their hometowns to visit their relatives or to vacation resorts in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions.