Orbán encourages public to get inoculated amid rising third wave

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, in a radio interview on Friday, encouraged Hungarians to get themselves inoculated against the coronavirus, warning that the country was on the cusp of a third wave of infections.

With a third wave of the pandemic hitting the country, people should make a rational, rather than an emotional decision on getting vaccinated, as it could even cost them their lives, Orbán told public broadcaster Kossuth Radio.

“I ask everyone to register and go and get themselves inoculated and if possible, accept whichever vaccine they are offered,” the prime minister said.

Orbán also said that some 120,000 people filled out the government’s National Consultation survey on reopening the country on the first day. The responsibility for reopening the country obviously lies with the government, he said, adding that the best decision would be made if more and more people had their voices heard.

“If we can fend off a third wave, we can reopen the country,” the prime minister said.

He said Hungary had the biggest stock of effective Covid vaccines out of all European Union member states. The prime minister said that by the end of May, Hungary can have 3.5 million more people vaccinated than an EU country of similar size “because we don’t rely solely on the EU’s slow vaccine distribution but also use our own resources to procure more” jabs.

He noted that Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, had predicted a “race for vaccines” as far back as November and had recommended that Hungary hold talks on purchasing vaccines from all over the world to get ahead of a projected vaccine shortage. This is why Hungary entered into talks with Russia and China, Orbán said, adding that he “doesn’t really care what the others have to say about this” as Hungary “always has to be one step ahead of them”.

He pointed out that “the Germans and everyone else” were now working to procure doses of the Russian vaccine and said he expected other countries to begin authorising the Chinese jab as well.

Asked when Hungary could begin using China’s Sinopharm vaccine, Orbán said he had been told by the chief medical officer that analysis of the jab was “going well”.

The prime minister warned, however, that Hungary was facing “a moment of danger” as it sees a steep rise in coronavirus cases and overall deteriorating epidemiological trends.

He praised the efforts put forward by Hungary’s “exceptionally strong” health-care system over the past year, saying it had saved many lives and would again withstand the pressure posed by the pandemic.