Fighting Against COVID-19 Pre Phase

Republic of Türkiye is one of the most disciplined and successful countries fighting
against COVID 19 pandemic. The tracing period starts at an early stage.

• National Pandemic Plan (updated in 2019)
• Border security
• Travel restrictions
• Establishment of the «Emergency Operation Center» (06 January
• Establishment of the «Coronavirus Scientific Board» (10 January
• Identification of reference hospitals and personnel trainings . All flights to China
were suspended (30 January)
• Borders with Iran were closed (23 February)

Fighting Against COVID-19 Measures

After the first case on 11 March 2020, additional measures were taken

• Closure of schools across the country
• Banning of mass gathering events
• Restrictive measures for public officials (flexible working arrangements)
• Additional travel restrictions
• Curfews and lockdowns

Fighting Against COVID-19 Treatment Procedures

• At first, we made use of international experience
• In line with the experiences and observations of our own doctors, we took a unique approach in Türkiye with the approval of the Science Committee

– Starting treatment early in cases with symptoms
– Taking measures to prevent the development of pneumonia
– Delaying intensive care and intubation using high flow oxygen therapy

Fighting Against COVID-19 Testing & Contact Tracing

• Comprehensive strategy to increase testing capacity in contact tracing
• Performing tests on the right people at the right time
• Implementing a strict contact tracing program
• We have created a successful system that reached 99,7% of the contacts within the required time

Fighting Against COVID-19 Filiation (Contact Tracing)

• Effective Tracing
• Timely detection and prevention
• 226 healthcare staff in 108 filiation teams working 24/7
• With the same diligence, we have planned and structured all stages of the filiation process for our future guests

Türkiye’s Healthcare Infrastructure

• 166.517 doctors in 1.528 world class hospitals operating in the country
• 645 dedicated pandemic hospitals
• 250.654 registered beds, 203.795 registered beds in the pandemic hospitals
• 31.733 ventilators in the hospitals
• The average number of tests performed daily is over 90.000
• Daily PCR test capacity of Türkiye is 150.000

Normalization Process

• Whole of government and whole of society approach
• Recommendations of the Science Committee ’’ and WHO’s global guidance
• We called it «Controlled Social Life», designed to enable our citizens to live their lives in the best possible way under pandemic conditions
• We continue to wear masks and keep physical distance in public spaces

Preventive Measures for the Guests

• Passengers and other people arriving at airports will be rendered services under the rules and guidelines set out for prevention and containment of COVID 19.
• In the airports, before passport control, each arriving passenger will go through thermal screening for temperature checks.
• In the case where a passenger is suspected to have COVID 19, the passenger will be put under quarantine in an isolated area inside the airport to be tested.
• If there are no negative symptoms detected with regards to COVID 19, the passenger will leave the airport following specified rules.
• If the passenger whose sample is taken for PCR test displays serious symptoms, he/she will be taken into an isolation room for 2 hours to wait for the PCR test results. If the result is positive, the passenger will be sent to a hospital to be treated.
• After passenger getting transferred to the hospital , she decides whether to be treated in hospital or hotel.
• If the passenger does not wish to spend the isolation period in Türkiye and wishes to return to his/her country, it is at airline’s or captain’s discretion to allow that passenger on board.
• Passengers may buy health insurance packages before arriving at Türkiye, online.
• If the passenger becomes symptomatic after arriving at the hotel, he/she will be taken
PCR test at contracted health care facilities.
• If the passenger who had been taken to the hospital tests positive, the same procedures implemented at the airport will be followed.
• If the passenger’s country requires a certain quarantine period for its citizens upon their return, the passenger may get tested at 135 testing areas across the country for 250 Turkish Liras, hotels or designated testing areas located inside the airport before passport control for 250 Turkish Liras and fly back to his/her country with the test result.
• In order for the guest to be treated in our country, he/she has to accept the treatment methodology and drug protocol applied in our country
• In the case where a passenger displays any symptoms, healthcare personnel with required medical equipment will be available on site and the passenger will be tested for COVID 19. Quarantine rooms complying with all international standards and fully equipped transfer vehicles for dispatch to nearest healthcare facility will be ready.
• In facilities with over 50 rooms, isolation rooms are mandatory and COVID 19 test can be done by trained health personnel or facility must be in agreement with a competent health institution to take samples, depending on the request of guests whose residence address is abroad.

COVID-19 Tourist Protection Health Insurance

As of July 1, we are commissioning a health insurance package covering COVID-19. The guarantee is valid in all pandemic hospitals without private / public distinction.

Insurance packages can be purchased in the following ways:

• With tickets of contracted airlines
• Inside the airport at points of sale before passport control
• Online www.covidinsurance4turkey.com www.tga.gov.tr
• From tour operators

The Measures Taken by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism

• A Letter of Intent by our Minister sent to the Ministers of 166 countries
• This letter is annexed with both the regulations and criteria determined as a result of the studies carried out in the framework in our healthy tourism understanding, as well as Türkiye’s healthcare infrastructure
• Minister of Culture and Tourism and Minister of Foreign Affairs conducted a very intensive telephone diplomacy with our counterparts in many countries and negotiate the process
• Minister of Culture and Tourism received many ambassadors assigned to Türkiye to explain the efforts and the measures, he also participated many video conferences with the ambassadors

Safe Tourism Certification Program, under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, has been developed with the contributions of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in cooperation with all the stakeholders in the industry.

The Normalization of Tourism
Safe Tourism Certification Program consists of 4 main pillars:

– Health and Safety of Passenger
– Health and Safety of Employee
– Measures at the Facilities
– Measures in Transportation Vehicles

Pandemic protocols and certification protocols issued separately in terms of airports, domestic airlines, highways and tourism facilities as of May 4, 2020.

• The facilities, obtaining the certificate, were announced as of June 1, 2020 through all channels including the Ministry & TGA websites. Currently, around 5000 facilities have received certificates.
• For the facilities that obtained safe tourism certificate, there will be QR codes on all logos and through these QR codes, all guests and customers will have access to facility’s inspection data.
• Safe Tourism Certification Program is mandatory for facilities with over 50 beds capacity.