Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca revealed that Turkey is scrapping the outdoor mask requirement as the COVID-19 pandemic eases thanks to the country's vaccination efforts.
Outlining the new measures at a press conference, Koca said that masks will no longer be mandatory indoors "if ventilation is adequate" but added that they are still crucial in certain environments, such as around immunocompromised people or those with diseases that can make a COVID-19 infection lethal.
Venues will no longer require people to scan their HES QR code on entry, Koca said, referring to the Hayat Eve Sığar (Life Fits Into Home) app developed by the Health Ministry that creates a QR code based on personal health records. "COVID-19 tests will not be required for those without symptoms," Daily Sabah cited him as saying.
Koca also said that only 8% of people who tested positive for COVID-19 and died last month had no other diseases, adding that the "remaining 92% were diagnosed with other illnesses earlier."
