ANKARA

Students in Turkey have returned to classes on Monday for the new term with strict coronavirus measures introduced.

As schools have reopened for in-person teaching after a long break since March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, some 18 million students will attend classes five days a week.

Breaks and meals times will be scheduled for different intervals to avoid crowds. Classes will be held in 40-minute periods at most.

School administrations will provide free-of-charge masks for students and school personnel in case anyone needs them.

Unvaccinated teachers and school staff will take PCR tests twice a week. Parents and visitors will not be admitted to schools except in mandatory situations. School authorities can check the visitors' HES code – coronavirus contact tracing system – to see whether they are "risk-free."

Turkey has so far confirmed over 6 million coronavirus cases and 52.860 deaths, while nearly 80% of the country's adult population has received at least one dose of a two-shot vaccine.