Turkey lifts wearing of masks inside as COVID-19 cases fall

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey has lifted one of its last remaining COVID-19 restrictions, the wearing of masks in crowded indoor locations. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the relaxation Tuesday in a televised meeting of the scientific board that has guided Turkey through two years of the pandemic. He said the board would not reconvene unless “extraordinary” circumstances arose. Masks will continue to be required on public transport and in health facilities for a while longer, he said. The number of daily cases has dropped dramatically since early February, when more than 110,000 infections were recorded. Monday’s daily data from the Health Ministry showed 2,604 cases and 15 deaths.