A hairdresser wearing a face shield serves a client at a barbershop in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 11, 2020. Most of the shopping malls, barbershops and beauty salons across Turkey resumed operations on Monday as part of a gradual easing of the restrictions to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Yasin Akgul/Xinhua)
ISTANBUL, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Most of the shopping malls, barbershops and beauty salons across Turkey resumed operations on Monday as part of a gradual easing of the restrictions to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.
Huseyin Altas, chairman of Turkey's Shopping Centers and Investors Association, told reporters that 350 out of a total of 436 malls in the country opened their doors to clients.
According to Altas, the remaining malls will be operational on June 1.
Addressing people's concerns over visiting the shopping malls, he said they are safer than outside as fresh air has been continuously circulating inside, and all other preventive measures have been taken to create a virus-free shopping environment.
Aqua Florya, a shopping center on the European side of Turkey's biggest city Istanbul, was ready for the big day on Monday.
Several security officials were equipped at the entrances of the mall to take the temperatures of the clients, whose number was not that much in the morning.
Some disinfectant boxes were available for the use of the costumers in particular zones inside, while most of the stores and the food court were seen closed.
Press reports showed some photos of people waiting in long queues outside of several malls in Istanbul long before their opening time.
Meanwhile, those who are opposed to the opening of the malls, thinking that it would be too soon as the pandemic has not yet ended, are raising their voices on social media.
Several hashtags like "Shopping Malls" and "We do not go to shopping malls" became trending topics on Twitter.
Istiklal Avenue, packed with stores that belong to world-known brands, was among the most crowded locations in the European part of the city. Nearly 35 percent of the stores were observed open.
Local officials have installed several kiosks at the two ends of the avenue to provide hand sanitizers and facial masks for those who do not have one.
Security forces were seen patrolling the avenue, warning people who do not follow the three-meters social distancing rule, which was particularly determined for the area by the authorities.
Barbershops and beauty salons also became operational Monday with conditions of abiding by the rules such as following cleaning rules, working with an appointment system, and serving half of the number of seats.
The Turkish government in mid-March ordered the closure of all the shopping malls, barbershops, and beauty salons in line with the measures to contain the pandemic.
Turkey reported 1,542 new COVID-19 cases and 47 more deaths on Sunday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 138,657 and the death toll to 3,786.
