Hungarians’ low vaccine acceptance shows distrust in Orbán, says Jobbik

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Photo: MTI/Krizsán Csaba

The low willingness of Hungarians to get vaccinated against coronavirus demonstrates their distrust in Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the activities of his cabinet, conservative opposition Jobbik’s deputy leader said on Wednesday.

As long as Orbán is the prime minister, restrictions will remain in force because people don’t trust him and consequently they don’t trust the vaccines available, László György Lukács said citing a recent EU survey on vaccine acceptance.

The new EU survey showing that only 49 percent of Hungarians want to get vaccinated as against the European average of 70 percent shows “a rather unflattering image” of Hungary, he said. It is among the lowest figures in Europe, next to Bulgaria’s and Poland’s, he added.

Lukács said

the government had started “a dangerous business” when it got involved in talks about a Chinese vaccine “of which almost nothing is known” and which has not been approved by the European Medicines Agency.

This only further deteriorates people’s trust and vaccine acceptance.

Lukács added that it was a basic requirement that vaccination should be free, offered on a voluntary basis and all the vaccines on offer should have EU approval.