Turkey is working “day and night” to minimize the effects of the coronavirus in the country, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said late Friday.
“We are running a relentless fight against the coronavirus,” he said. “This virus mostly affects the elderly and those with chronic diseases,” Erdogan said on Twitter, where he also posted a voice message addressed to the nation.
“YOU SHOULD INCREASE THE SOCIAL DISTANCE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE”
He asked the nation to take steps to protect against the virus but also to be mindful of elderly relatives or those who have chronic diseases.
“You should increase the social distance as much as possible, and most importantly, you should never go out of the house unless you have to. In this process, you should carefully follow the statements of our official institutions and organizations, especially our Health Ministry,” he said, and stressed hygienic measures.
The use of internet technology and telecommunication should be applied when communicating with relatives and other activities, he said.
He also asked that prayers be performed at home and not to accept visitors as much as possible — spending time at homes is more important. “On behalf of myself and my nation, I would like to express my gratitude to all my citizens who stand by us and act with a sense of responsibility in this struggle with the coronavirus. I hope we will come through these hard days together, God willing.”
The voice message is being sent to citizens, especially those older than 50, by calling mobile phones through three telecommunication operators in Turkey.