ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY VISITORS TO AFFECTED COUNTRIES

Possible visitors should follow the instructions below:

» Travelers should avoid contact with ill people (keep at least 1 m distance).

» Travelers should minimize contact with other patients if it is necessary to visit health institutions.

» Travelers should regard recommendations on food safety (avoid consuming raw milk and animal products, wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly before eating raw).

» Travelers should avoid contact with animals and pets (live or dead).

» Travelers should follow hand hygiene and should clean their hands frequently. Hands should be washed thoroughly with water and soap for at least 20 seconds, and alcohol-based hand antiseptics should be used if there is no soap and water. Antiseptic containing soaps are not necessary; regular soaps will be enough.

» Travelers should cover their nose and mouth with a disposable paper tissue during coughing or sneezing or with their bent elbow when there is no paper tissue to minimize the infection of disease.

» Particularly in case of respiratory infection symptoms (fever, nasal flow, nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, sore throat) the above instructions should be followed, hands should be washed frequently, crowded places should be avoided unless necessary. If it is necessary, mouth and nose should be covered and if possible medical masks should be worn. People with no disease should not necessarily wear masks. Travelers should apply to a health institution in case of fever, cough, respiratory distress within 14 days after travel and report their history of travel.

COVID-19 CASE MANAGEMENT IN AIRPLANES

International flights are completely halted, and limited flight program is applied in our country. If all passengers arriving in our country by air develop symptoms, they are informed by the Directorate General of Health Services for Borders and Coasts of Turkey regarding how they will benefit from health services in our country. People who are detected on the plane or airport and comply with the probable case definition are managed according to the algorithm below.

IF THE PATIENTS WITH SYMPTOM IS DETECTED IN THE FLIGHT

• The case is reported to the tower by the pilot.

• The incident is reported to the airport health inspection center/airport operation center by the tower.

•All passengers are filled with a passenger contact information card.

•Two front, two rear and two side seat passenger information is received.

• The Health Inspection Center evaluates the case on the plane.

• The Health Inspection Center provides information to the Provincial Health Directorate and 112 Command and Control Centers.

•Procedures for infectious diseases recommended by the National / International Civil Aviation authorities and organizations are implemented.

• After the Health Inspection Center evaluates the case, it delivers the case to the 112 Emergency Health Services team.

• The case is transferred to hospitals with multidisciplinary conditions through 112 Emergency Health Services ambulances.

• The patient is managed here in accordance with the Possible Case Follow-up Algorithm. PATIENT WITH SYMPTOM (Detected in the airport) If detected at the airport , At the earliest possible points at the international arrivals terminal, a thermal camera system is installed (at least two personnel with a trained medical mask, non-sterile gloves, and goggles must be present at the thermal imager).

a. Persons with fever detected in the thermal imager; or

b. Aircraft waiting, rest, etc. within the airport. people who have a fever and/or respiratory symptoms in their area; are ensured to wear a medical mask.

1 - In cases that meet the definition of a probable case;

• The person is taken to the Health Inspection Center.

• The person is evaluated by the Health Audit Center staff.

• Persons who comply with the probable case definition are informed to the Provincial Health Directorate and 112 Command and Control Centers and transferred to the hospital through 112 Emergency Health Services.

• 112 Emergency Health Services transfer to hospitals with proper multidisciplinary conditions.

• By contacting the airline from which the person comes, two front, two rear, and two side seat passenger information are obtained and forwarded to the Provincial Health Directorate for contact follow-up.

• It is managed in accordance with the Case Follow-up Algorithm.

• The sample result is reported to the Health Inspection Center by the Communicable Diseases Unit of the Provincial Health Directorate.

• Information on probable case is reported to the Provincial Health Directorate daily.

2 - In cases that do not comply with the probable case definition;

• The transit passenger is allowed in his flight upon being informed.

• General information is provided by keeping the records of people other than transit passengers, and they are allowed to enter the country.