Turkish elderlies allowed outside for 1st time in 7 weeks

Elderlies aged 65 and older across Turkey were allowed outside on Sunday for the first time in seven weeks in an easing of the coronavirus restrictions of the country.

Their four hours of permit started at 11 a.m. local time (0800GMT) when 24 out of a total of 81 provinces were under a two-day weekend curfew against the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The long-awaited day has arrived. Do not forget to wear your masks on this beautiful day," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said at a tweet, addressing the senior citizens.

"You have provided great support to our fight against coronavirus by staying at home," the minister added.

Wearing their surgical masks and protective gloves, many elderly couples were seen taking walks in their neighborhoods in Istanbul hand in hand.

Some couples were seen taking selfies on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait, while some elderlies took food in plastic bags to feed stray animals.

Police officers have warned those who wanted to have a walk on the shores in the Uskudar district on the Asian side of the city, saying that the seaside road is closed to pedestrians.

But some managed to skip the controls and had some fresh sea air on the coastal line along the Bosphorus Strait separating Europe and Asia.

Via loudspeakers, the police constantly asked elderlies to return to their neighborhoods.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, meanwhile, asked Turkish people living in the provinces with no curfews to stay at home during the hours at which the elderlies would be out to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier said that people of and over 65 and those who are under 20 would be allowed outside for four hours one day a week, starting from this weekend.

The two age groups, being the most vulnerable facing COVID-19, have been under lockdown since March 21 as part of the government's measures against the pandemic.

Turkey reported 1,546 new COVID-19 cases and 50 more deaths on Saturday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 137,115 and the death toll to 3,739.