In Turkey, a country with over 80 million inhabitants, 137,115 have been registered infected and 3,739 have died with covid-19, according to John Hopkins University.
On March 21, a curfew was introduced for anyone over 65. Breaking the curfew has resulted in fines for several of the older citizens.
The curfew for the elderly has been in effect for the past seven weeks, until today when the authorities eased the restriction over a limited time interval of four hours.
"Very nice to be out"
People under the age of 20 have also had a curfew because they are deemed to spread the infection to a large extent by spending much time in larger groups. This group will also be allowed to stay outdoors later in the week.
One of the curators is Ethem Topaloglu, 68, who wore a medical mask while walking in a park in the country's capital, Ankara.
- It is very nice to be out after such a long time. Although I've been able to sit on the balcony, it's not the same as walking around outdoors, he tells AP.
More flashes of light can be glimpsed for the Turkish population this week, when galleries and lounges will be allowed to be open under strict conditions.
In early April, reports came that Turkey had the world's fastest spread of the virus. But at present, the death toll in the country is only slightly higher than in Sweden according to the available statistics.