Here are the details of Hungary’s new Covid measures

The new restrictions are effective from today until 11^th December. On Tuesday, further details have been revealed concerning the new Covid measures.

As we reported earlier, this Monday the Hungarian Government introduced new strict measures in the whole country in order to stop the rapid spread of the pandemic.

Read also: Face masks will be made mandatory in all public spaces from midnight!

Curfew between 8pm and 5am

• Everyone has to get home by 8pm. One case of exemption from the curfew is work, which, however, needs to be justified.
• Leaving your place of residence between 8pm and 5am is only accepted in a situation where there is a risk of damage to health, danger to life or serious harm, as well as for the safety of life, work, transport to the place of work and vice versa. However, all this must be confirmed by a document, which will be published by the Minister of Public Security on the official website of the government.

All gatherings are forbidden

• Grouping and gathering is prohibited in public areas or public places; however, individual leisure sports activities, such as running, walking and cycling, are permitted in public areas, public places and outdoor sports fields.
• Football, hockey, handball, basketball and volleyball will also be banned for non-competitive athletes.

The restaurants cannot accept guests

• Only employees may stay permanently in the catering establishments; however, for the purpose of delivery, others may be inside for the necessary period.
• The Government reduces the administrative burden of home delivery, and taxi drivers can be involved in the task.
• This rule does not apply to restaurants and canteens at work, restaurants and bars located on the accommodation, restaurants and bars serving public accommodation, or canteens and buffets of health care institutions.

Shops must close at 7pm

• The shops, lotteries, national tobacco shops – except for pharmacies and petrol stations – can stay open until 7 pm and they can open at 5 am at the earliest.
• Providers and services not covered by this Regulation (such as hairdressers, masseurs, personal trainers) may operate normally under the exit ban rules.

The hotels cannot accept tourists

• The hotels can accept tourists, only guests arriving for business, economic or educational purposes.

Events are forbidden

• It is forbidden to hold any kind of event, including cultural events, concerts, sports events, private events, as well as Christmas fairs. Ceremonies of religious communities may be held at the discretion of the religious community. The Government calls on religious communities to define rules of conduct in their ceremonies in accordance with the general rules.
• Sports matches must be held behind closed gates, without spectators.
• Funerals can be held for up to 50 people.
• Weddings can be held without ceremony. However, only the registrar, the spouses, witnesses of the spouses, parents of the spouses, grandparents, siblings of the spouses and children of the spouses may be present.

The use of leisure facilities is prohibited

• Including in particular fitness rooms, indoor swimming pools, museums, libraries, cinemas and zoos, skating rinks.

Education

• Digital education is coming to life in higher education institutions. Colleges of higher education institutions will be closed; the Rector may establish exceptions to this. Residence may be granted, in particular, to cross-border and foreign students and to those who fulfil the official home quarantine obligation in the dormitory.
• Nurseries, kindergartens and primary schools are open until the 8th grade.
• Schools in secondary education must operate in a digital work schedule since 9th grade. Colleges of secondary institutions operate at the discretion of the school principal.
• The body temperature of children will continue to be measured; those whose temperature is higher than accepted will be separated from other children or pupils, and parents will be informed. Parents are still unable to enter schools.

Mask wearing rules

• Wearing a mask is mandatory for everyone over the age of six on public transport, in the inner area of ​​settlements with more than 10,000 inhabitants, in public areas designated by the municipality, or in public places, except during sports activities, in parks and green areas.
• It is also mandatory to wear a mask to cover the nose and mouth in shops when shopping and working, in shopping malls (except offices, sports and factory premises), public transport waiting rooms, catering shops, post offices, customer reception areas of public administrations.
• It is mandatory to wear a mask in health care facilities, but in hospitals, patients do not have to wear a mask. In social institutions, caregivers should wear a mask whenever possible during community programs and when staying in public spaces, and a mask is also mandatory for workers in direct contact with caregivers, as well as if they are permanently within 1.5 meters.
• Employees of hospitals, schools, kindergartens, nurseries and those working in a social institution must be tested on a weekly basis, in accordance with a separate government decree.

Package sending

• It is possible to continue the parcel delivery service on the basis of a contract concluded with a catering store or a store selling daily consumer goods.
• Providers of road passenger transport by car may continue to carry out their work.

Penalty

Compliance with the protection measures specified in the decree is monitored jointly by the Police and the Hungarian Armed Forces.

In the case of infringement, the authorities may impose fines ranging from EUR 281 (~HUF 100,000) to EUR 2,810 (~HUF 1 million), and business premises, institutions may be temporarily closed for at least one day or even one year.

As the Hungarian news portal 24.hu reports, an organizer or operator cannot be penalised if the offender, such as someone who is not wearing a mask, has been called to leave and has also notified the police.

It is a breach of duty if a store is opened at night, a leisure facility is opened, or too many people attend a wedding. The police can apply fines and confinement at the same time and can impose fine for several consecutive inspections a day.

Read alsoCoronavirus: Hungarian parliament votes to extend state of emergency

Source: 24.hu