Allowed to go out within walking distance of their homes, the senior citizens of Turkey enjoyed the first day of Ramadan Bayram, also known as Eid al-Fitr, in public parks across the country on Sunday.
According to a circular published by the Ministry of Interior, the weekend curfew will continue from May 23-26 in all Turkish provinces as part of anti-coronavirus measures.
The circular exempted the elderly aged 65 and above from the curfew for 6 hours on the first day of Bayram from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. local time, with the condition that they complied with the rules of social separation and wearing masks.
With masks on their faces and the hand of their spouse, or the occasional cane, in one hand, the elderly took long strolls in parks across Turkey.
In the western city of Izmir, the elderly went to coastal areas near their homes to walk and enjoy the view of the sea and sunny weather.
In Istanbul, seniors walked the coastal area of Üsküdar, Taksim Square and the famous Istiklal Street.
When the outbreak first began in Turkey, the government initially imposed a curfew for the country’s senior citizens, ordering anyone aged 65 and above to stay home. The curfew was later extended to include youth aged 20 and below, as the number of coronavirus cases increased dramatically.
However, new infections across the country have been on the decline since April 21, prompting Ankara to ease some of the restrictions placed on daily life.
