A major Japanese economic daily has ranked Hungary in terms of the country’s coronavirus pandemic management as second best globally after China, the interior minister said at a lawyers’ meeting on Thursday.
 
According to the Covid-19 Recovery Index by Nikkei which ranks more than 120 countries and regions in terms of infection management, vaccine rollouts and pandemic related restrictions at the end of each month, Hungary came second in September along with Saudi Arabia tracing China, Sándor Pintér told the assembly meeting of the Hungarian Lawyers’ Association in Balatonfured, in western Hungary.

Nikkei’s higher ranking indicates that a country or region is closer to recovery with its low numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases, better vaccination rates and/or less-stringent social distancing measures, according to its site. Giving an outline of the government’s measures, Pintér noted the setting up of an operative board in charge of pandemic response as early as January 29 in 2020,

 
one day before the World Health Organization declaring a public health emergency.
 
As regards measures over the course of the pandemic’s three waves, Pinter noted those aimed at protecting the economy which included job protection, the easing of loan repayment terms, support to vulnerable sectors and IT development.

János Bánáti, the chairman of the meeting organised for the 15th time, said the government has considered the event important since the beginning. “This is proven by the fact that assembly meetings have been addressed on several occasions by the president in office, the supreme court president or the attorney general,” along with cabinet ministers, he said.

This year, the three-day event will be addressed by Judit Varga, the justice minister, and Gergely Gulyás, the prime minister’s chief of staff, as well, Bánáti said.