Turkey has taken all necessary measures against the novel coronavirus for the new performing arts season set to begin on Sept. 1, an official said Wednesday.
The country's deputy culture and tourism minister said creative activities will take place in open-air spaces as well but with certain conditions.
“We will use open-air spaces, as well as halls, where the audience will enter in a controlled manner," Ozgul Ozkan Yavuz told Anadolu Agency. "Plays will be performed with minimal cast for a smaller audience, while observing social distancing, wearing masks and adhering to hygiene measures."
Yavuz said that stages with insufficient ventilation system will not serve until the end of the pandemic, adding that special ticket booths will be set up, and there will be temperature checks for spectators, QR codes on tickets, as well as a digital app for facilitation.
People will be able to easily access all events, and get their tickets through the Sanat Cepte smartphone app, the minister added.
Turkey, which moved toward gradual normalization from June 1, has confirmed 243,180 virus cases, including 226,155 recoveries and 5,873 deaths, thus far.
Meanwhile, more than 20.3 million cases, nearly 742,000 deaths and 12.6 million recoveries have been recorded in 188 countries and regions, according to the latest figures by Johns Hopkins University.
The US, Brazil, India, and Russia are currently the hardest-hit countries.
* Writing by Gozde Bayar
