New Coronavirus Measures from IMM

IMM took a number of measures to be implemented as of Thursday, November 19, in order to prevent the increase in prevalence in Istanbul, where the Covid 19 epidemic was most intense. In line with the recommendations of the IMM Scientific Advisory Board, the opening of ISMEK courses, which are planned to start face-to-face education, has been postponed to a later date. It was decided to keep the cultural centers of IMM closed and to close all museums as well as IMM sports facilities operated by SPOR ISTANBUL. Performing arts with an audience will also be performed online in the indoor hall.

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality took some measures within the framework of the recommendations of the IMM Scientific Advisory Board in order to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic both in the society and among its employees. It was emphasized that the decision, which will be implemented as of Thursday, November 19, will not affect the services of the municipality, which must be continued. Within the scope of the measures, IMM, which started working remotely and alternately as of November 9, made a statement to the public regarding the decisions taken and the issue:

“The Covid 19 outbreak continues to spread rapidly as a second wave globally. Unfortunately, the epidemic has started to spread rapidly in our country and even exceeded its effect in the April-March period, according to the statements of scientists.

Dear Minister of Health Dr. According to Fahrettin Koca's statements, Istanbul is the city where the epidemic is most intense in our country. Accordingly, approximately half of the number of cases and deaths occur in Istanbul. Similar data is also valid for the employees of IMM and its subsidiaries. Despite all the measures we have taken to protect our employees and citizens, from February, when the first official case has not yet entered our country, until today, the Covit-2000 tests of approximately 19 employees of IMM and its affiliate employees are positive. In addition, our 1322 personnel are also under quarantine.

Procedures for patient detection and quarantine processes take time. For example, personnel who do not show any symptoms about the disease are detected only by routine tests, which puts the public service personnel at risk of spreading the transmission until they are detected. In addition, when we add the personnel who are not eligible to work in the Presidency circular, it is obvious that there is a serious loss of workforce.

In this context, as IMM, the recommendations made by the Scientific Advisory Board of IMM were carefully examined and the following decisions were taken in order to prevent the spread of the contamination both in the society and among the employees and to prevent any service disruption:

1. The opening of ISMEK courses, whose registration period continues and is planned to start face-to-face education soon, has been postponed to a later date. Online courses will be continued in certain areas.
2. Scientific data point to gyms and pools as areas where the contamination spreads rapidly. On this occasion, it was decided to close the facilities owned by IMM and operated by our affiliate SPOR ISTANBUL.
3. Cultural Centers will continue to remain closed.
4. It was decided to perform online performing arts in the indoor hall.
5. It has been decided to close all museums belonging to IMM that are not included in the open air scope.

In parallel with the additional steps to be taken by our government within the scope of combating the epidemic, the dimensions of the closure will expand further. In this context, all other procedures belonging to the municipality, which must be continued, will continue their routine activities.