Does the world really envy Hungary for its coronavirus measures?
Change language:
Ever since the Communist era in Hungary, many know that what the government does or says might not always be true. It has been reported by many news portals that almost the entire world envies the measurements and restrictions Hungary introduced when the coronavirus epidemic broke out. The Hungarian government keeps emphasising that all of them are writing about an effective, protective, and unique system which helped the country to slow down the virus. But is it true or is it just governmental propaganda?
444 reported that massive infections did not happen in the country as restrictions worked well and PM Orbán leads the country with a clear and calm head. However, some say that Hungary did not do anything extraordinary or different compared to other countries: the government closed the borders, shops, cafés, and ordered curfew restrictions just like many other countries on the continent. On the other hand, there has been a problem with the lack of coronavirus tests and the fact that every time PM Orbán visited a hospital, he somehow wore the newest and most effective protection gear while healthcare workers did not because they did not receive any.
For this reason, hospitals and retirement homes became the centres of the coronavirus, and 14% of all Hungarian healthcare workers were tested positive. Doctors above 65 years old were sent home from healthcare institutions, but they did not get a chance to work from their homes.
The mortality rate is calculated as number of deaths as a percentage of those testing positive. Thus in countries such as South Korea and Germany where testing was extensive the rates are low. Hungary has not done so much testing as other countries.
There is still a debate about the idea of doing lots of testing. Why do a test if you do not have symptoms? In my opinion the social distancing and separate shopping hours for elderly people were very effective in Hungary.