Full Lockdown Takes Effect in Turkey, People Leave Cities

Full Lockdown Takes Effect in Turkey, People Leave Cities
People shop at the local market in Istanbul a few hours before the start of the latest lockdown to help protect from the spread of the coronavirus, on April 29, 2021. AP Photo/Emrah Gurel
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ANKARA, Turkey—People in Turkey stocked up on groceries, filled markets and left cities for their hometowns or the southern coast Thursday before the country entered its strictest lockdown of the pandemic.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan imposed a “full lockdown” that took effect at 1600 GMT (12 p.m. EDT) and will last until May 17 amid soaring COVID-19 cases and deaths. It is the first nationwide lockdown lasting nearly three weeks. The Turkish government had previously opted for partial lockdowns or weekend curfews in a bid to reduce the economic impact.