After the last meeting of the Ministry of Health Scientific Committee, it was stated that the obligation to wear a mask in the open air, which was applied within the scope of combating covid-19, was lifted, and it will be applied according to the distance rule in closed environments. In the new period, no institution or organization will ask for a HES code at the entrance. The obligation to have a test for people who do not have any symptoms of the disease has been lifted. Evaluating the regulations regarding the new period, Infection Diseases Specialist Prof. Dr. Meral Sönmezoğlu pointed out that personal protection measures should be continued under these conditions.

After the last meeting of the Ministry of Health Scientific Committee, it was announced that the obligation to use masks in the open air has been lifted. Masks will continue to be obligatory in areas where there is no distance, such as airplanes, theaters, cinemas, and public transportation. In the new period, the HES code application has been lifted. HES code check will not be done at the entrance to any institution or organization. In addition, PCR tests will not be requested from people who do not have symptoms of the disease, and in case of 2 cases in schools, the classroom will not be closed, only positive students will be isolated. Yeditepe University Hospitals Infection Diseases Specialist Prof. Dr. Meral Sönmezoğlu said that with the current vaccination rates, the number of cases, and deaths, it is too early to loosen the measures. Adding that the pandemic is still not under control in our country,

Prof. Dr. Sönmezoğlu said, “Many countries of the European Union have discussed ending the mask application for a while, but we have been one of the countries that acted quickly in taking this decision. As a society, we are all tired of the pandemic restrictions and the measures taken, but the pandemic still continues. The World Health Organization did not end the pandemic that it declared in early 2020. In many countries, the rates of cases and deaths are at serious levels. Turkey is the 8th country with the highest number of cases in the world. As a matter of speaking, every day, a planeload of people, that is, between 200 and 300 citizens, pass away due to covid.”

Lifting the Mask Requirement Shouldn't Increase the Number of Cases!

Emphasizing that the number of daily cases is around 50 thousand and the rate of having three-dose vaccines is 32 percent, Prof. Dr. Meral Sönmezoğlu pointed out that people who have been vaccinated can also get through the disease, and said that the importance of complying with social distance rules has increased, especially in areas where masks are not used. Prof. Dr. Sönmezoğlu pointed out that otherwise, the omicron variant could spread rapidly.

HES Code Facilitated Patient Follow-up

Expressing that the HES code application is an important application for the follow-up of covid positive people, Prof. Dr. Meral Sönmezoğlu said, “However, with the abolition of the HES code application, it has become impossible to track people who have a mild or asymptomatic infection or those who come into contact with covid patients. People saw this as a restriction on their freedom, but we are in a pandemic, it is perfectly normal for extraordinary situations to have extraordinary applications. These applications and measures were taken for our health.”

“We Are Still the 8th Country with the Highest Number of Cases”

Stating that the vaccination rates in Turkey are still not at the desired level, Prof. Dr. Meral Sönmezoğlu said, “Several measures have been loosened in Western countries. For example, in the UK, the mask application was lifted a short time ago, but soon after they saw a rapid increase in the number of cases, they reversed the decision. Taking the European countries as an example, it is extremely dangerous to loosen the measures. Because we could not reach the vaccination rates of those countries. We are the 8th country with the highest number of cases in the world after Germany. Moreover, we are in the winter months, the weather is still cold, and more time is spent indoors. Although the number of cases decreases periodically, it may increase again with the effect of winter. The pandemic is not out of our lives. Therefore, with this relaxation, we should continue to take precautions and continue to be vaccinated, keeping in mind that there may be an increase in the number of cases and deaths in the next two weeks.”

Continuing Vaccination: Although the vaccine does not prevent catching the disease, it helps to have a milder course of the disease. For this reason, it should be ensured that our social vaccination level reaches the desired level.

Attention to Social Distance!: Especially with the new regulation on the obligation to wear masks, the importance of the social distance rule has increased even more. Social distancing should be observed in both indoor and outdoor areas.

Hand Hygiene Is a Must: Hand hygiene, which is extremely important not only for Covid-19 but also for all infectious diseases, should continue to be provided. Hands should be washed for 20 seconds with soap and water. In the absence of water and soap, hygiene should be provided by using hand disinfectant.