Hungary’s COVID-19 tally reaches 185,000, vaccine available early next year

Fully 106 Covid patients, mostly elderly with an underlying illness, have died over the past 24 hours, while there were 3,806 newly registered coronavirus cases, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Wednesday.

Since the first outbreak in the spring, 185,687 people have been officially diagnosed with the virus and 4,008 fatalities, while 44,020 people have made a recovery.

Altogether there are 137,553 active infections, while 7,718 Covid patients are hospitalised, 656 on ventilators.

Fully 41,558 people are in official home quarantine, while and the number of tests carried out has risen to 1,548,318.

So far, most coronavirus cases have been registered in Budapest (42,454) and Pest County (24,439), followed by the countries of Győr-Moson-Sopron (12,522), Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén (11,040), Hajdú-Bihar (9,716) and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg counties (9670). Tolna (2,572) has the fewest cases.

Hungary likely to have vaccine available early next year

Human Resources Minister Miklós Kásler said on Tuesday that vaccination against the coronavirus is likely to become available in Hungary at the beginning of next year.

Kásler said during his annual hearing in parliament that any vaccination that is not effective or that causes side effects will not be allowed to be distributed in Hungary.

“We still do not know everything” about the vaccination against Covid-19 but at least six or seven vaccinations are in advanced trial stages and “we are close to” receiving the relevant documentations for expert review, he said.

He added that there were still many uncertainties surrounding the various vaccinations, such as how long they would give immunity and whether repeat inoculation would be needed.

In response to a question, he said “in all likelihood, the vaccine will be available by early next year” in Hungary.

Restrictions in Hungary

Between 9am and 11am on weekdays and 8am and 10am on weekends, customers below that age are banned from shopping in grocery shops, household chemists and pharmacies.

Senior citizens have the right to shop at any time.

On November 10, lawmakers extended the government’s special powers by 90 days, allowing the government to suspend the application of some legislation, diverge from legal provisions and take other extraordinary measures by decree.

A decree made commercial P+Rs, parking garages and parking lots in residential areas free of charge from 7:00 in the evening until 7:00 in the morning, more details HERE.

Soldiers are helping the police in carrying out their duties in public areas.

Soldiers have also been assigned to help out staff in 93 hospitals around Hungary.

The curfew is in force between 8pm and 5am, and work carried out beyond the home must be justified.

With the exception of pharmacies and petrol stations, shops can be open until 7pm. Hairdressers, masseurs and personal trainers must observe general curfew rules.

Family and private events including birthday celebrations can be held with a maximum of ten people attending.

A major new rule is that face masks must be worn in public spaces in localities with more than 10,000 residents, though it is up to local mayors to decide which spaces the rule applies to.

Restaurants are limited to offering takeaways, while hotels are not allowed to cater to tourists, only guests arriving for business, economic or educational purposes. Sports events must be held behind closed doors. Also, leisure facilities such as fitness gyms, indoor swimming pools, museums, libraries, cinemas, zoos and skating rinks must suspend their services.

Events, including cultural events and Christmas fairs, cannot be held under the special rules.

Read alsoThe EU does not want Hungary to use the Russian COVID-19 vaccine

Source: MTI