Coronavirus – Hungary defense plan “precise, composed”

Hungary’s defense against the novel coronavirus is continuing according to a precise, composed plan, the press department of the Human Resources Ministry told MTI on Sunday.

The ministry noted in the statement that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had first signalled the presence of the new coronavirus in Europe on January 24. On the following day, representatives of all of the institutions the ministry oversees drafted a procedure for health-care institutions to follow.

The ministry and its institutions, in continuous consultation, also drew up the plans affecting government decisions 2-3 weeks in advance, and work is continuing in this spirit at present, too.

Many opinions were shared on the work; unfortunately, the Hungarian Chamber of Physicians (MOK) presented their own package of proposals – and then, only through the media – when policy papers informing the government’s decisions containing those opinions had already been prepared, the ministry said.

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The government’s decisive measures have played a large role in the arrival of the pandemic in Hungary 2-3 weeks later, in a comparison with other European countries, and have significantly reduced the number of infections compared to western European countries, it added.

The ministry and its institutions continue to consult on a daily basis and are continuously drafting the necessary government decisions 2-3 weeks in advance.

Thanks to these measures, the curve of infection will be much flatter in Hungary than in other European countries.

“We are 2-3 weeks ahead of events and are making preparations for the period of mass infections,” the ministry said.

Source: MTI