Increase blamed on premature easing of lockdown conditions ANKARA: The easing of lockdown conditions is being blamed for a recent rise in daily COVID-19 cases in Turkey. The country recorded 1,459 new cases on Saturday, as opposed to 1,195 a day earlier. So far, 4,792 people in Turkey have died from the disease. The country began a sudden normalization period about two weeks ago, at a time when it had the most cases in the Middle East and the second-highest number of deaths in the region. Since then, the numbers of cases and fatalities have been on the rise, especially in several provinces. Domestic flights have resumed, and tourism facilities, gyms, theaters, restaurants and cafes have reopened. A curfew for people aged over 65 and under 18 has been lifted, as has intercity travel restrictions to boost domestic tourism, with beaches along the Mediterranean and Aegean seas becoming overcrowded. Dr. Derya Unutmaz, chief researcher at the Jackson Laboratory Institute in the US state of Connecticut, said there is a need to normalize much more carefully and slowly in Turkey in light of recent developments. “I think implementing quarantine procedures is becoming more and more difficult, and they aren’t sustainable in social and economic terms,” he told Arab News, adding that those who refuse to wear face masks should be punished. Associate Prof. Caghan Kizil, a specialist in neuroscience and genetics at Dresden University’s Faculty of Medicine, said from the very start of the pandemic, scientists and epidemiologists knew that the road to normality would be arduous. “We tried to show the risks, and … were condemned for being negative or pessimistic. Being optimistic doesn’t help in this case,” he told Arab News. “We need to be prepared for adverse circumstances, and only then can we contain the spread of the pandemic, if we ever can.” He said the most effective prevention is to abide by scientific views and be vigilant, cautious and honest. “In Turkey, since the beginning of the pandemic, the official discourse was always on the most optimistic side of the scenarios,” Kizil said. “We can understand that this was a psychological move not to inflict panic and to keep the workforce in place and get the economy moving, but it worked the other way around.” Referring to declarations from state authorities that the pandemic is under control or there will not be a second wave of infections, Kizil said this gave the public the impression that the crisis is over. “Additionally, the government’s call for ‘expedited normalization,’ which entailed a significant breach of social distancing, yielded an increase in case numbers per day,” he added. Experts also criticize the lack of epidemiological data and details of cases, which they say is preventing scientists from making accurate public warnings. “In March and April, if Turkey issued a general lockdown for a few weeks, maybe there could be fewer cases and spread now. But it wouldn’t change the need for social distancing and non-pharmaceutical measures,” Kizil said. “Since there isn’t an effective drug or vaccine in sight, we largely rely on non-pharmaceutical interventions. We have to keep social distancing and wear masks if we need to get closer to people in workplaces, social life or transport.”