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Travel restrictions introduced in Hungary to prevent import of virus from abroad
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The government is introducing international travel restrictions with the aim of preventing a new wave of the coronavirus epidemic, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff said on Sunday.
Gergely Gulyás told a press conference that Hungary must prevent the virus from being imported from abroad.
The government does not currently plan to introduce any additional restrictive rules within the country but it will tighten border controls, he said.
“Hungary is today among the safest countries in Europe,” he said.
But given new outbreaks around the world, the government is putting the health and safety of Hungarians foremost and is doing everything possible to prevent the virus’s return, he said.
The operative board in charge of containing the epidemic has advised the government to classify countries into “red”, “yellow” and “green”, based on the severity of the situation in each, Gulyás said, adding that it is continually monitoring infection data from abroad. There are “worrying signs” from neighboring countries, he said.
“The better we are able to protect our borders and restrict entry to the country, the better we can uphold the conditions for a safe and free life in Hungary,” he said.
Special rules will apply to Hungarian citizens and their relatives. Hungarian citizens can freely enter from a country classified “green”.
Entry from “yellow” or “red” countries will entail undergoing a health check at the border and 14 days in quarantine unless two consecutive negative coronavirus tests taken 48 hours apart within the previous 5 days can be proven.
Hungarian citizens coming from a “yellow” country depart quarantine after a single coronavirus test, while those from “red” countries will need two negative tests to do so.
The same rule applies to non-Hungarian citizens from “yellow” countries, but those from “red” ones will be forbidden entry altogether.
Transit and freight traffic are exempt but will have to follow an officially designated corridor. At the same time, health examinations may be carried out if needed.
Why is it that the US and UK with the highest number of coronavirus in the world classified as yellow while countries with less number of coronavirus cases classified as red?? This seems quite political and discriminatory!!
I hope Australia is in the good book. Want to visit family next July augusztus. Tibor
What is the status for Hungarian residents, not citizens? There are many official residents who live and work in Hungary who have remained in Hungary throughout the virus period. If they leave the country and visit and return back from a green country does that mean no quarantine is required?
ANONYMOUS, according to the Government Decree 341/2020 Hungarian residents are able to travel to “green” countries without any additional permits or restrictions. Moreover, it is possible for the residents to travel to “yellow” countries, and after their coming back home to Hungary they will be treated like Hungarian citizens. In other words, they have to provide tests or stay in quarantine for a fortnight. The only missing thing is the list of “red” countries. Residents are not allowed to enter Hungary coming from these “red” countries.
In my belief Hungarian Government has just done a very good job by adopting this new Decree 341/2020. Fair and clear.
Africa is a continent not a country. There are highly infected countries where as there are little numbered countries. I don’t think your categories are fair. I hope you will revisit your stratification.