Orbán: Hungary tops 1 million vaccinations

More than one million Hungarians have received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, putting Hungary’s vaccination rate well above the European Union average, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Monday.

Altogether 1,002,714 people have been administered their first Covid-19 shot, which puts Hungary’s vaccination rate ahead of those of “respectable countries” like Germany and Austria, Orbán said in a video on Facebook.

“This is the result of the efforts of tens of thousands of people,” the prime minister said, thanking the country’s doctors, general practitioners, nurses, ambulance staff, public administration workers and law enforcement for their work.

Orbán specifically thanked the women among Hungary’s critical infrastructure workers, and greeted them on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

“They carry two burdens on their shoulders: work and family,” he said.

The prime minister also singled out Chief Medical Officer Cecília Müller for praise, wishing her strength in her work.

Hungary will carry on with vaccinations over the coming days and is set to take delivery of more vaccine consignments, Orbán said. The vaccination drive will progress quickly, he said, adding that jabs would be administered more efficiently in Hungary than in most EU countries.

“The situation is not easy, but we’re in the home stretch now,” Orbán said.

“Let’s stick together in the coming weeks and then we’ll pull through. Together we’ll pull through.”

Hungary’s vaccination rate of 10.26 percent is the second highest in the EU, behind that of Malta, according to a graphic shown in the prime minister’s video.

As we wrote today, Hungary has the 8th worst mortality rate related to the COVID-19, details here.