District health authority imposes mandatory mask use in Taksim Square and İstiklal Street

2020-05-08 15:58:00


	İSTANBUL - İstanbul's cosmopolitan quarter has become increasingly more crowded amid a drop in daily new Covid-19 cases.

	A district health authority has imposed mandatory mask use and a three-meter social distance rule for İstanbul's Taksim Square and İstiklal Avenue.

	 

	Those who don't comply with the rules would be fined, Beyoğlu District Governor Mustafa Demirelli said after a meeting of the District Public Hygiene Council.

	 

	The council's decision came after Health Minister Fahrettin Koca complained that the area was too crowded. "İstiklal Avenue didn't look good today. It's too early for so many people to enter a photo frame. Every photo from daily life should support Turkey's daily coronavirus table. Let's try to stay at home. Let's use masks if we go out, let's follow the social distance rule," the minister said in a tweet on Wednesday (May 6).

	 

	According to Article 282 of Law No. 1593 on Public Hygiene, people who don't abide by the orders shall be imposed an administrative fine from 250 to 1,000 Turkish lira (1 US dollar=7.12 lira).