Coronavirus vaccine in Hungary

“Education descending into ruins” – Hungarian teachers refuse to take mandatory jab

Teacher coronavirus

According to a recent survey, nearly 19% of unvaccinated teachers do not intend to take the mandatory vaccine. These educators will be sent on unpaid leave from 1st January and may be dismissed a year later if they do not get the vaccine until then. According to experts, this will result in huge problems in the operation of Hungarian educational institutions, based on the fact that there are schools where only 40% of the teachers are vaccinated.

Based on a government decree issued last week, vaccination has become mandatory for teachers working in public educational institutions. Those who have previously been vaccinated must prove their vaccination to the head of the institution, while those who do not comply with this requirement will be sent on unpaid leave at the end of this year and may be dismissed a year later if they do not get the vaccine until then. As Hungarian news portal 24.hu reports, educators must get the first vaccine by 15th December.

The new regulation has caused outrage among Hungarian educators. Based on a recent survey carried out by the Democratic Union of Teachers,

almost 19% of unvaccinated teachers do not intend to take the vaccine.

According to the head of the union, these educators will look for other jobs if they are sent on unpaid leave. Based on the data of the internal survey, so far, 8,732 teachers have been affected by the new regulation, and almost 19% of them – 1,637 – will not take the mandatory vaccine, reports 24.hu.

According to the head of the union, huge problems can be expected in the operation of certain educational institutions if they cannot employ unvaccinated teachers.

These educators will look for other jobs if they are sent on unpaid leave because they cannot afford to drop out of work and be without social security.

Accordingly, people’s livelihoods are at stake. Secondly, those who remain in the institution will need to face extra work in order to provide the smooth operation of educational institutions.

Peaceful demonstration in Mohács

Regarding these concerns, a peaceful demonstration was organised in Mohács on Wednesday evening. The educators protested against compulsory vaccination. According to one of the organisers,

there is a school in the area where 40% of educators have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

If they are sent on unpaid leave, the institution will get into serious trouble, while “education is slowly descending into ruins,” commented the organiser to Eduline.

According to a participant, they are also afraid of the virus, but even more afraid of the possible side effects of the vaccine. “We believe in science, as we all want to pass on the knowledge of science to our students. We acknowledge the work of doctors and researchers. However, we believe that this vaccine was made available too early. Therefore, it should be available for those who demand it but not mandatory for those who still have questions.” In addition to the possible side effects of the vaccine, Hungarian educators are afraid of the ”inhuman amount of overtime” that can be expected by those who remain employed.

According to the Ministry of Human Resources (EMMI), vaccination in schools is close to 90%, and the new regulation will not cause operational problems. However, professional organisations think that the problem is greater than this, as vaccination varies from region to region. There are certain institutions where the proportion of vaccinated educators is only 50-60%.

coronavirus vaccine injection
Read alsoThese Hungarian employers made vaccination against COVID-19 mandatory for their workers

PM Orbán: Brussels bureaucrats “vomit blood” from Hungary’s utility fee cut scheme

Viktor-Orban

A government decision could be made next week about “rescuing small businesses from the weight of higher utility fees” so that they, too, could get the lower prices, PM Viktor Orbán said today in his regular interview in Kossuth Rádió. He added that Brussels bureaucrats “vomit blood” from Hungary’s utility fee cut scheme because “multinationals dictate” in Brussels. He said Hungary’s government was on the side of the people, whereas the left wing was on the side of multinationals.

“In the end even the anti-vaxxers will realise that they either get the jab or die,” Orbán said, and noted that next week 101 hospitals would offer the vaccination with no prior registration to anyone turning up. People against vaccination could be convinced that they have no more reason to distrust coronavirus vaccines than the ones they received in childhood, such as against mumps or measles, the prime minister said.

Orbán said that health experts were expected to determine “around December” if children between 5-12 could be inoculated and in case of a positive answer

parents would have an opportunity to vaccinate their children.

Hungary currently has 10 million doses of vaccine, sufficient to provide “not only booster jabs but fourth shots to everybody”, Orban said.

On another subject, the prime minister said that “nobody is happy” with a recent ban introduced in law enforcement and health services preventing staff from quitting their jobs, but argued that “now we have a situation in which certain positions must not be abandoned”. Orbán said that the infectious diseases hospital in Kiskunhalas would not currently be reopened unless “some bigger problem occurs” or if other hospitals become overcrowded. In another development, Orbán said that well above 80 percent of Hungarians welcomed the recently introduced cap on fuel prices.

Hungarian gas stations face difficulties due to lower fuel prices

He said

“we are in a fight with the Left about reducing public utility fees”

recently expanded to include fuel prices. “Changing petrol prices has been left to the market so far and it is best if the government does not need to interfere but there are certain situations when government involvement becomes necessary,” the prime minister said.

“One must not sit idly when prices go sky high”, and when all experts project prices to remain high for a longer period, a government reaction is needed, he said. High fuel prices not only affect the cost of driving but also make their way in other prices, he added. Calculations have been made about what the market can tolerate and the result was 480 forints per litre, so “we stepped on the break there”, Orban said. The Left has always called for market-based utility fees but “we say that there should be fixed prices and not market prices in areas belonging to the subsistence of households”, he said.

“When the market cannot resolve problems, we need to interfere, keeping in mind that this can only be a temporary measure,”

Orbán said.

Commenting on GDP growth, he said negative developments in global economy, especially disruptions in supply chains in car manufacturing, prevented Hungary from achieving 7-8 percent growth, or even 10 percent. At the same time, Hungary’s good economic performance enables offering personal income tax exemption to people under 25 next year and paying a full 13th month pension in mid-February to pensioners, he added.

Hungary face mask Budapest
Read alsoFrom Saturday wearing masks in enclosed spaces will be compulsory in Hungary!

PM Orbán about fourth wave: “the hard part still to come”

Viktor Orbán
Hungary is deep in the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic, with “the hard part still to come”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in his regular weekly interview on public radio on Friday, adding that “the only thing that ensures protection is the jab”.
 
Those that are not inoculated are in “mortal danger”, Orbán said, but warned that the unvaccinated “pose a danger not only to themselves but to all others”. He warned that restrictive measures could not provide protection against the virus, just slow down its spread among the population.
 
Four to six months after the second shot immunisation will decrease,
 
and it is justified to take a booster, he said. “If everybody were inoculated, there would be no fourth wave or it would be just a small one,” the prime minister said. With everybody inoculated there will be no fifth wave, he said, adding that “we cannot avoid that everybody should be inoculated at the end of the day”.
 
 
Altogether 135 patients died of a Covid-related illness during the past 24 hours, while 11,289 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Friday. So far 6,017,807 people have received a first jab, while 5,788,775 have been fully vaccinated. Fully 1,765,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab.
 
The number of active infections stands at 128,124, while hospitals are treating 6,122 Covid-19 patients, 613 of whom need respiratory assistance. Since the first outbreak, 998,488 infections have been registered, while
 
the number of fatalities has risen to 32,780.
 
Fully 837,584 people have made a recovery. There are 59,177 people in official quarantine, while the number of tests taken stands at 8,006,581.
Hungary face mask Budapest
Read alsoFrom Saturday wearing masks in enclosed spaces will be compulsory in Hungary!

Online education not to come back in Hungary!

Online education
Asked about whether online education could make a comeback, Gergely Gulyás, the prime minister’s chief of staff, said: “if schools stop, everything stops”. Conditions are in place for classrooms to remain open, he said. Pending the decision of the European authorities, approval for vaccination of children under the age of 12 years could arrive in December, he added.
 
Commenting on statements made by Péter Márki-Zay, the opposition alliance’s prime ministerial candidate, who has cast doubt on the government’s scheme to regulate utility bills, Gulyás, referring to the former Socialist prime minister, said “Ferenc Gyurcsány’s candidate” had admitted to continue with policies pursued between 2002 and 2010 when the price of electricity doubled and the price of gas tripled. The average Hungarian household would pay 400,000 forints more each year if market prices were passed on to them.
 
Asked in more detail about vaccination, he said the government would work towards making sure that state administration staff who are in contact with the public will have had three vaccinations.
 
Concerning teachers, no decision has been made regarding booster shots.
 
The vaccination rate among teachers is around 87 percent, he added.

Márki said it was worth holding events that are accessible using an immunity card, adding that this would also send a message that inoculation is truly protective.
 
Meanwhile, Hungary, he confirmed, is sending ten doctors to Slovenia to help amid the serious epidemic there.
Hungary face mask Budapest
Read alsoFrom Saturday wearing masks in enclosed spaces will be compulsory in Hungary!

From Saturday wearing masks in enclosed spaces will be compulsory in Hungary!

Hungary face mask Budapest
From Saturday, the wearing of a mask in enclosed spaces will be compulsory, Gergely Gulyás, the prime minister’s chief of staff, told a regular government news briefing on Thursday. Gulyás also said booster jabs are now compulsory for health-care staff. Plans are also afoot for the same in state administration, he added.

Mask-wearing will be compulsory in shops, malls, museums, theatres, cinemas and in areas open to the public in government offices. Using masks on public transport will continue to be compulsory, he said. Events with more than 500 people attending can still be attended with an immunity certificate, he said. Also, mask-wearing will be mandatory wherever more than five people are regularly present in a shop. In schools, it will be up to head teachers to decide whether it is compulsory to wear a mask, he added.
 
Offices and sports facilities will be continue to be mask-free.
 
Gulyás said modelling indicated that the fourth wave would peak in late November or early December, though, he added, making such predictions was risky.
 
Expert were agreed, he said, that vaccination was the only truly effective protection against Covid, especially the delta variant, and he cited the examples of Israel and the United States where booster shots had proved effective. The government, he added, recommended a booster jab for everyone from the fourth month on.
 
People who refused to be vaccinated put the health and lives of others at risk,
 
he said, adding that the government had been forced to make mask-wearing compulsory for this reason. From Nov. 22 to 28, the government is rolling out a vaccination campaign with an increased number of designated vaccination points in hospitals, with no requirement for registration.
 
Meanwhile, Gulyás said that while the incumbent Fidesz government holds power, capped utility bills would be here to stay. Gulyás said it was welcome that the price of fuel at the pump had been capped throughout Hungary thanks to government intervention, and that all fuel stations had complied. The tax authority will be checking fuel quality from Wednesday, he added.
 
Masks to be made mandatory indoors in Budapest!


Small businesses will be given the opportunity to join a universal energy provider so as to benefit from lower bills, he said. Lower overheads and fuel prices will help to keep inflation in check, Gulyas added.

Commenting on the reports concerning alleged plans to sell Budapest’s City Hall, he insisted that the administration of Gergely Karácsony
 
was in a state of “chaos”
 
and, given the mayor had publicly rebuked a subordinate, the question of his credibility was hanging in the balance. Also, there was the question of whether he had been in possession of the relevant information, he added.

Whereas Karácsony had promised to create a park in the courtyard of City Hall and renovate the building, it transpired that the courtyard would continue to serve as a car park, while the building was in a worse condition than ever, Gulyás said.
Coronavirus hospital
Read alsoMore than 600 patients need respiratory assistance

More than 600 patients need respiratory assistance

Coronavirus hospital
Altogether 131 patients died of a Covid-related illness during the past 24 hours, while 10,767 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Thursday.
 
So far 6,013,007 people have received a first jab, while 5,784,958 have been fully vaccinated. Fully 1,714,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab.

The number of active infections stands at 121,138, while hospitals are treating 5,969 Covid-19 patients, 606 of whom need respiratory assistance.

Since the first outbreak, 987,199 infections have been registered, while the number of fatalities has risen to 32,645. Fully 833,416 people have made a recovery.

There are 54,312 people in official quarantine, while the number of tests taken stands at 7,954,654.
christmas, fair, Budapest
Read alsoChristmas Market at Vörösmarty Square to start next week – here are the changes, PHOTOS

US Centre for Disease Control: Hungary among most dangerous destinations

budapest airport

The coronavirus has been present since its discovery in China in late 2019. It has hit the rest of the world at the beginning of 2020. Since its first appearance, we are currently in the fourth wave of the pandemic. The number of infections has surged in many regions around the world triggering stricter restrictions on travel and human interaction.

According to the latest information of the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday, Hungary is among the most dangerous countries in terms of Covid infection. Moreover, the health organisation discourages individuals from travelling to Hungary unless it is really necessary.

CDC Recommendations

The CDC has four tiers of risk assessment for COVID-19. Level one is the least risky while level four is the most dangerous in terms of contracting the virus.

On Monday, November 15, the CDC moved a total of four countries to level four, including Hungary, Iceland, Guernsey, and the Czech Republic.

As CNN reports, these countries now have been added to the other 70 unsafe countries among which there are many popular tourist destinations. These include Belgium, the Netherlands, Singapore, Turkey, and many more at level four.

These Hungarian employers made vaccination against COVID-19 mandatory for their workers

Minister told when 5-11-year-olds can receive the vaccine

CDC recommendations about Hungary:

  • Avoid travel to Hungary.
  • If you must travel to Hungary, make sure you are fully vaccinated prior to your departure.
  • Due to the current situation in Hungary, even fully vaccinated travellers may be at risk of getting and spreading COVID-19 variants.
  • Travellers should follow all recommendations and requirements in Hungary, including wearing a mask and staying 6 feet apart from others.

Statistics

This new regulation is not that surprising since the number of infections has been steadily rising in the past few months in Hungary. According to the latest Hungarian data, 5,323 new cases of coronavirus infections have been registered with over 5,800 active infections treated in hospitals. Alarmingly, 545 people are on ventilators. On a more positive note, over 6 million people have received their first jab in Hungary.

Hvg reports, that recently the Czech Republic has also placed Hungary on the list of countries not recommended for unnecessary travel. According to the map of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, almost all of Hungary is deep red which indicates a high rate of Covid infections.

EU Coronavirus Infection Map November 10
Source: ECDC

Make sure to observe safety regulations while travelling and interacting with people. Be safe and keep healthy.

Bazilika Christmas fair
Read alsoHungarian Christmas fairs that you can visit only with an immunity certificate

They got fake immunity certificates to travel: father dead, family on ventilator

Coronavirus Hungary

A family of 4 living in Budapest wanted to travel abroad after they acquired fake immunity certificates. However, all of them caught the virus and received respiratory help because they had severe symptoms. The healthcare workers reported the issue to the police after they had examined their immunity certificates and found that something did not add up with them.

Even the small children were put on ventilator

According to blikk.hu, nobody inoculated themselves in the family, but they needed to travel frequently abroad. Therefore, they probably bought immunity certificates, but nobody knew whether they could travel anywhere with them. Soon after they fot the certificates they caught one after the other the coronavirus and were transported to the

intensive care department of a Budapest hospital.

Moreover, they struggled with severe symptoms, so all of them needed respiratory assistance, even the small kids.

The doctors could not save the father’s life, and his elementary school child is still on a ventilator. Based on the information of the Hungarian tabloid, the police now examines the fake immunity certificates they obtained.

Hungary reports 165 deaths over 24 hours – latest COVID numbers

Issuing fake immunity certificates is good business

Recent months show that more and more people refusing to get inoculated would like to get such certificates. Based on Blikk, the police investigate in 17 cases in which doctors, healthcare workers, nurses cooperated in issuing fake immunity certificates. Before, authorities charged three public officials in a similar case.

The biggest public outcry was in Kótaj,

in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county. Officers of the Counter-Terrorism Centre (TEK) took away handcuffed dr. A. Akeef, a family doctor, for selling fake certificates for HUF 50,000 (EUR 140) to locals. He said that he was innocent, and authorities finally set him free in September.

He told Blikk that he was happy to work again and to experience the love from his patients. However, the police continue investigating the issue. Dr László Szilágyi, the spokesman of the police headquarters of the country, said that they already have 14 suspects. But he did not share further details due to the interests of the process.

In Ukraine, authorities say that people might hold

more than 800,000 fake immunity certificates.

That number might reach 1 million in months.

Bazilika Christmas fair
Read alsoHungarian Christmas fairs that you can visit only with an immunity certificate

More than 10 thousand new infections in the past 24h!

Coronavirus in Hungary
Altogether 178 patients died of a Covid-related illness during the past 24 hours, while 10,265 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Wednesday.
 
So far 6,008,226 people have received a first jab, while 5,780,925 have been fully vaccinated. Fully 1,668,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab. The
 
number of active infections stands at 115,383,
 
while hospitals are treating 5,852 Covid-19 patients, 565 of whom need respiratory assistance.
 
Minister told when 5-11-year-olds can receive the vaccine


Since the first outbreak, 976,432 infections have been registered, while the number of fatalities has risen to 32,514. Fully 828,535 people have made a recovery. There are 46,530 people in official quarantine, while the number of tests taken stands at 7,909,782.
 
According to hvg.hu, President János Áder said today in an interview with Népszava that they cannot highlight more how important the vaccine is. “We need more inoculated people because the vaccine is the only effective protection against the virus” – he added. He highlighted that the administration could not run a more intensive campaign for the vaccine. 
Bazilika Christmas fair
Read alsoHungarian Christmas fairs that you can visit only with an immunity certificate

Hungarian Christmas fairs that you can visit only with an immunity certificate

Bazilika Christmas fair

This year, we can finally enjoy the Advent atmosphere in Hungary. However, we need to be aware that some of the Christmas fairs can only be attended under strict epidemiological restrictions. Hereby, we list the venues where you will be required to present an immunity certificate or a negative coronavirus test.

Last year, the Hungarian Advent fairs were cancelled due to the pandemic situation. However, this year we can finally enjoy the Christmas spirit! In order to make it happen, we need to be prepared as some Hungarian Christmas markets can only be visited with an immunity card or a negative coronavirus test.

Vörösmarty square

As we previously reported, the most famous Budapest Christmas market starts on 19 November at Vörösmarty square. According to the organiser, the event can only be visited with an immunity certificate or other epidemiological documents that comply with the current legislation.

Accordingly, the spectacular Advent fair can only be attended by visitors who are protected against the coronavirus.

This includes visitors who are vaccinated as well as those who have recovered from the coronavirus infection and can prove it with an official medical certificate. The latter can be a positive PCR test or rapid antigen test recorded in the Electronic Health Services System, EHIC, or a subsequent antibody test confirming the infection.

Both Hungarians and foreigners will be checked whether

they can prove their immunity with an international certificate or a negative PCR test.

The use of mask at Vörösmarty Square is not mandatory but it is strongly recommended. For the first time this year, cashless payment solutions will be introduced at catering establishments to reduce epidemiological risk. Furthermore, the organiser may also limit the number of attendants. Upon reaching a certain number of people, the access can be denied to visitors for as long as the number of people in the area decreases – reported by the Hungarian news portal Pénzcentrum.

Advent Basilica

“In love and safety.” This is the slogan of Advent Basilica 2021 and it is taken rather seriously by the organisers. The event, which will be held from 19 November to 1 January,

can only be attended with a valid immunity certificate or a negative PCR test issued 72 hours before entry.

The Advent fair, awarded as The Best Budapest Christmas Market in 2020, awaits visitors with exciting festive programs. According to the event’s website, this year – in full compliance with the current regulations – the gastro and handicraft exhibitors will return to the fair in Saint Stephen’s square. Following the annual tradition, a huge Christmas tree will be decorated along with a giant Advent wreath and a Bethlehem manger. The venue will also house the Advent Basilica event series.

Advent Óbuda

The Christmas fair in Óbuda will open on 26 November. Here, visitors can enjoy a wide variety of Advent programs, concerts, and a handicraft fair. Skating will be available free of charge at two locations, at the Main Square and in the community area of ​​the Békásmegyer market. In addition, people can enjoy aromatic mulled wine, delicious chimney cake, and tasty bread flamand at the Gastro Promenade. The event’s website does not mention yet whether an immunity card will be required to enter the Christmas fair.

Zugló Advent Fair

Due to the increasing number of infections, the traditional Zugló Advent Fair on Bosnyák Square (14th district) will not be held this year. However, locals can enjoy a short two-hour program on the first Sunday of Advent during which the skating season will open and the first candle will be lit.

In the countryside

Apart from the Hungarian capital, the majority of Christmas fairs will be held in the countryside as well. In many places, restrictive measures have not been announced yet. If you wish to spend the Advent period in the countryside,

you should not miss the Christmas fairs of Győr, Pécs, Miskolc, Szeged, Szombathely, Eger, Vác, Cegléd, and Debrecen.

According to the regulations currently in force, the Debrecen fair can be visited without an immunity certificate. Advent fairs in the countryside await visitors with Christmas programs, festive concerts, handicraft products, delicious Christmas food, homemade cakes, mulled wine, and other delicacies presented in a warm Christmas atmosphere.

Budapest Basilica Christmas fair
Read alsoBudapest among the TOP20 most beautiful European Christmas destinations – PHOTOS

These Hungarian employers made vaccination against COVID-19 mandatory for their workers

coronavirus vaccine injection

According to a recent Hungarian government decree, companies have the opportunity to make vaccination against COVID-19 compulsory for their employees. Some domestic companies and even educational institutions have already decided to introduce the new regulation. Thus, these employers refuse to employ any worker who has not been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Based on the government decree published on 28th October, the purpose is “to ensure that companies and enterprises, at the suggestion of employers’ organisations, have the right to require workers to be vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus as a condition of employment if deemed necessary for the safety of those working there”. Accordingly, the vaccination may be made into a condition of employment from 1st November, unless the worker is exempted from taking the vaccine for health reasons.

Currently, several domestic companies are still negotiating about the issue.

However, some domestic employers have already decided to make vaccination against COVID-19 compulsory for their employees.

Richter Gedeon

Richter Gedeon Plc. is one of these companies. The pharmaceutical company announced the new condition at a press conference on Monday. According to the CEO, Gábor Orbán, this is a safe step in terms of the security of supply. The vaccination will be mandatory for employees because Richter Gedeon is a manufacturing company, and illnesses can jeopardise the continuity of production. Furthermore, in their case, home office is not an option. That is why the pharmaceutical company decided to make vaccination against COVID-19 compulsory for its employees, reported Portfolio.

University of Szeged

According to an announcement published this Tuesday, employees of the University of Szeged (SZTE) must take the vaccine against the coronavirus within 45 days or prove that they have already received it. As 24.hu reports, only those who are unable to take the vaccine due to a medical condition that must be proven with a medical certificate are exempted from the vaccination obligation.

If someone does not get vaccinated, they will be sent on a one-year unpaid leave, and if they do not take the vaccine after that, their legal relationship will end.

Read also: Government: those that refuse to get vaccinated can be forced to take unpaid leave

Eötvös Loránd University

One of the most prestigious higher education institutions in Budapest, Eötvös Loránd University, has also decided to make vaccination against the coronavirus compulsory for its employees. Exemption is granted only to those who are unable to receive it for medical reasons or who do not spend long periods of time in the institution. Based on the decision of the Epidemiological Coordinating Body of ELTE, employees must confirm receipt of the vaccine by 15 December, reported Hungarian news portal Blikk.

Social institutions

According to the decision of the Budapest Mayor’s Office, vaccination will be compulsory for workers in residential social institutions most at risk from the COVID epidemic. The new condition affects employees at nursing homes, homeless and temporary accommodations. Employees who do not receive a coronavirus vaccination within 45 days and cannot provide proof of medical reasons may choose between presenting their valid immunity card or taking unpaid leave. Up to now, 92.57% of the workers concerned have taken the vaccine, reported Hungarian news portal Pénzcentrum.

Parliamentary staff

Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 will be mandatory in the Hungarian Parliament as well. According to Azonnali, until 31 December, all members of parliament must be vaccinated with at least the first dose of one of the vaccines, proof of which must be provided. Only those who are unable to receive the vaccine for medical reasons will be exempted from this obligation.

Anyone who does not get vaccinated will be sent on unpaid leave from 1st January and will not be able to return to work until they have been inoculated.

Hungarian news portal Telex has been informed that only parliamentary staff is obliged to take the vaccination, as the deputies cannot be obligated to do so by the Office of the National Assembly. Deputies are not employed by the National Assembly and can only be required by law to take the vaccine.

Municipalities

Following the government decree that came into force on 1st November,

two Budapest municipalities announced making the coronavirus vaccine compulsory for their employees.

In the 12th district, workers are required to take the first dose until 15 December. In addition, the mayor of Budapest’s 16th district has also announced the introduction of compulsory vaccination, which must be taken by all employees of municipal institutions, as well as office, nursery, kindergarten, social or sentry workers, by 20 December.

So far, we have been informed about the Hungarian employers mentioned above that made inoculation mandatory for their employees. In the case our Dear Readers know about more, please share them with us in a comment.

Ongoing negotiations

Many Hungarian companies have not come to a decision yet. In their case, the final decision is expected after the necessary professional consultations and the assessment of the employees’ level of immunity. Therefore, the new vaccination regulation is still being discussed in the case of OTP, MOL, Magyar Telekom, Zwack, CIG Pannónia, and Alteo.

Companies that do not make vaccination mandatory

Some companies have already decided not to make vaccination compulsory for their employees. As Pénzcentrum reports, SPAR Hungary, which employs 14,000 people, does not make vaccination against the coronavirus compulsory but encourages each of its employees to get vaccinated if possible. The company also makes the use of masks mandatory for employees in all areas of its operation to protect customers and employees. In addition, Akko, Pensum, Masterplast, Gloster, ANY Security Printing House, Delta Technologies, and AutoWallis do not wish to make vaccination compulsory. According to their announcements, these companies are ready to react quickly in the case it is necessary. In addition, in some cases, a high proportion of employees are vaccinated.

According to the latest news reported by Telex, Audi in Győr has also come to a decision: it does not make vaccination compulsory for its nearly 13,000 employees. At the same time, “the company remains committed to protecting the health of its employees”. Therefore, the previously operating vaccination point on the factory site will be set up again where the company’s employees and family members will once again have the opportunity to take the vaccination from mid-November.

100% inoculation

Some Hungarian companies do not even have to make a decision, as the vaccination rate among employees is 100%. Companies where every employee has already received at least 2 Covid vaccines include Nap, Nordtelekom, Cyberg and Graphisoft Park. As Portfolio reports, the latter constantly monitors the immunity level of workers through antibody testing.

Mandatory vaccination across Europe

The idea of ​​compulsory vaccination divides the public across Europe.

In addition to Hungary, Italy, Greece, France, Belgium, and the UK also introduced compulsory vaccination for healthcare workers. If this is not possible for health reasons, a rapid antigen test is required at least twice a week. In Italy, the state only covers the cost of the test if someone is unable to vaccinate for health reasons. Meanwhile, Spain is considering introducing compulsory vaccination for all workers, not just healthcare workers. As Hungarian news portal Mérce reports, the proposal is supported by the local employers’ association, however, the Spanish health minister opposes the idea of ​​compulsory vaccination.

Viktor Orbán
Read alsoObligatory vaccination in Hungary soon? Here is what PM Orbán said

Minister told when 5-11-year-olds can receive the vaccine

Kindergarten-vaccine
The prime minister’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyás, said on today’s government info that they would approve the vaccination of 5-11-year-olds once it is approved by either the Hungarian or European drug regulator. He added that Hungary has more than 3 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine in stock in addition to 1 million doses of the Moderna and Janssen jabs, and more than 2 million doses of Sinopharm, he said, adding that the Pfizer vaccine accounted for about two-thirds of all Covid jabs being administered at present.
 
Gulyás said the National Public Health Centre (NNK) had carried out a study on the efficacy of the Sputnik jab at the request of Russia. He said the government had ordered the same for all vaccines. Asked about the possible need to administer a fourth jab, Gulyás said the question needed to be studied by medical professionals, but Hungary had enough vaccines in stock if more inoculations became necessary. He said some people may require a fourth jab and there was no rule against administering one.

Asked about the potential epidemiological risks posed by Friday’s FIFA World Cup qualifier at Budapest’s Puskás Aréna, Gulyás said there was minimal risk involved for any spectator who had received three vaccine doses, but he would “not talk anyone out of wearing a mask”.
 
 
 
As regards European politics, Gulyás said Hungary welcomed European People’s Party group leader Manfred Weber “joining the chorus of those emphasising the importance of border protection”. “It appears he is in favour of Poland’s border protection efforts, not just from a political, but also from a financial point of view,” he added. Gulyás insisted that
 
the EPP had ceased to be a “major political force” in western Europe.
 
The conservative grouping’s policies of the last ten years, Gulyás said, had led to there being no EPP member party in power to the west of Austria.

Meanwhile, he said remarks from the three parties working to form Germany’s next governing coalition indicated that they intended to “encourage all forms of migration”, which he said could also impact Brussels’s migration policy.
 
Asked about a statement by Lajos Kosa concerning the Pegasus spyware, and whether his statement fell foul of official secrets rules, Gulyás said it was up to the
 
authorities to decide whether the statement amounted to a criminal offence.

He added that no state gave information on the technology or technical means used to collect information in the secret domain. The issue, he said, had turned into a political football because the left wing and Hungarian left-wing journalists had made it into one. Gulyas insisted that no illegal secret information gathering had taken place in Hungary since 2010. The way in which secret information is handled is strictly regulated, he said.
 
Fidesz MP told who bought Pegasus spyware used even against Hungarian journalists


On the subject of climate change, Gulyás said Hungary was among the few countries that had kept to its emission reduction targets, and this would have been impossible without nuclear energy. He said the issue within the EU was controversial, but Hungary was not the sole operator of nuclear energy in the bloc. Ten member states, led by France, have turned to EU institutions with the aim of recognising nuclear energy as climate friendly, he said.
wizz air
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The government has no plans to make vaccination mandatory

Coronavirus Koronavírus Restrictions Vaccine Vakcina
Prime minister’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyás said in his today press conference that the fourth wave of the pandemic is different from previous waves because “this time we have a weapon to fight the virus in the form of vaccination”. One in 100 people inoculated against Covid gets ill, but with much milder symptoms than those who have not received any shots at all. He added that the government has no plans to make vaccination mandatory, but would leave the option of ordering workers to get inoculated open to employers.
 
Gulyás advised Hungarians to get a third jab, citing a study released by Pfizer last week which said that the vaccine starts losing its effect after six months. “Anyone who has been vaccinated is still in a better position after the eighth and the ninth month than one who has not received a jab,” he added.

The government is launching a week-long nationwide vaccination drive on Nov. 22, with 101 vaccination points administering a first, or a second or a booster shot without preliminary registration, Gulyás said.
 

“It is particularly important that a substantially high number of people get a booster jab with a focus on immunocompromised people in the older age group,”

 
he said.

In terms of health services, Gulyás said Hungary has sufficient resources and supplies available, adding that “no disruption or emergency is expected to emerge”.
 
Almost 500 patients need respiratory assistance, hospitals treat nearly 5,000


Gulyás said the government has no plans to make vaccination mandatory, but would leave the option of ordering workers to get inoculated open to employers. But state employees who come into contact with a great number of people should certainly get vaccinated, he said, noting that this is why staff working in regional government administration offices overseen by the Prime Minister’s Office are required to get vaccinated by no later than Dec. 15.
 
Staff working in positions where they meet a fewer number of clients on a daily basis are required to receive a first jab by no later than Jan. 31, he said.
 
Gulyás welcomed that the full vaccination rate among health-care sector employees is high at almost hundred percent, though he cautioned the sector’s workers to receive a booster jab.
 
He also advised teacher unions to encourage their members to take up a third jab.
 
 “It is hard to tell on the basis of current data when the fourth wave of the pandemic will peak,” Gulyás said, adding, however, that “the more people get vaccinated and take up a booster jab, the faster we will get over this wave”.
 
“Since we cannot rule out that further waves could follow, in the event of a fifth wave, people who have received a booster jab will be protected,” the cabinet chief said.
Read alsoLawmakers are not required to be vaccinated in Hungary!

Almost 500 patients need respiratory assistance, hospitals treat nearly 5,000

Coronavirus hospital

Altogether 132 patients died of a Covid-related illness over the past 24 hours, while 8,394 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Thursday.

So far 5,986,727 people have received a first jab, while 5,764,573 have been fully vaccinated. Fully 1,475,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab. The number of active infections stands at 83,818, while

hospitals are treating 4,990 Covid-19 patients,

488 of whom need respiratory assistance. Since the first outbreak, 931,414 infections have been registered, while the number of fatalities has risen to 31,751. Fully 815,845 people have made a recovery.

There are 39,655 people in official quarantine, while the number of tests taken stands at 7,715,195.

Meanwhile, Hungary has delivered some
 
200,000 jabs of Covid vaccine to Istanbul to be shipped to African countries
 
as part of a donation by members of the Turkic Council. Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, presented the doses of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine to Turkic Council Secretary General Baghdad Amreyev at a joint press conference on Thursday.
 
Hungary to develop Rwanda’s water management facilities


Speaking at the event, Szijjártó said that the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic had hit the world harder than expected. “It has made it even clearer that vaccination is the only way of protection and that those who have not been vaccinated are exposed to a much greater risk this time than in previous waves,” he said.
 
Szijjártó said that Hungary has sufficient vaccine supplies for domestic vaccination and has extra reserves to help other countries that are in a difficult situation. “This is why we immediately said yes to the Turkish initiative in the framework of which Turkey and Hungary are each to donate 200,000 doses of vaccine with Azerbaijan donating an additional 100,000 doses
 
to the most disadvantaged African countries
 
with the coordination of the Turkic Council, to save hundreds of thousands of lives,” he said.

The Turkic Council is an intergovernmental organisation established in 2009 to promote comprehensive cooperation among Turkic speaking states. Its members are Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkey. Hungary has had observer status in the organisation since 2018.
Read alsoLawmakers are not required to be vaccinated in Hungary!

Lawmakers are not required to be vaccinated in Hungary!

Recent instructions by the head of the Parliament’s Office under which people working in Parliament must be inoculated against Covid-19 apply to officials and employees of the national assembly but not to the lawmakers, parliament’s press chief told MTI in a statement.
 
Zoltán Szilágyi said that the instructions “cannot include such stipulations”. Szilágyi was reacting to press reports suggesting that MPs were required to receive the jab.
 
The new rule of the Parliament’s Office will not cause significant problems since no lawmaker announced yet that they did not accept the vaccine – Magyar Narancs said yesterday. Even the representatives of the Hungarian far-right party, Our Homeland (Mi Hazánk), which is fighting against mandatory vaccination, accepted the jab this spring.
 
 
 
Hungarians who received their second Covid shots more than four months ago should get a booster jab, the chief medical officer said on the sidelines of a lecture in Brussels late on Wednesday. Cecília Müller said that the level of antibodies could decrease six months after the second dose, a loss which the booster “could fully compensate for, raising the level back to an original 80-90 percent”.

Müller said that all vaccines applied in Hungary were safe and effective.
 
She added that the novel coronavirus could quickly produce new variants and “the possibility that a repeat shot could be required as frequently as every six months cannot be excluded”.
Coronavirus in Hungary
Read alsoThe fourth wave is expected to break out in these Hungarian cities

The fourth wave is expected to break out in these Hungarian cities

Coronavirus in Hungary

The concentration of the virus’s genetic material is constantly rising in the wastewater in Hungary. The National Public Health Center said that the tendency was expected to continue. Meanwhile, almost 100 patients died of a Covid-related illness over the past 24 hours, while 8,434 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Wednesday.

Teachers slam obligatory vaccination

According to portfolio.hu, the fourth wave is expected to break out in Győr, Kaposvár, Kecskemét, Nyíregyháza, Salgótarján, Szolnok, Tatabánya, Veszprém and the agglomeration surrouding Budapest. That is because, in the samples from these cities, the concentration of the genetic material is already high, and is expected to increase.

Meanwhile, one of the trade unions of the Hungarian teachers wants the government to

provide free testing instead of prescribing obligatory vaccination in state-run institutions of education.

They said that the government issued two decrees. One of them concerns the teachers working in public schools and prescribes mandatory vaccination for everybody. The other is for schools run by local governments, churches, or foundations, where the leader of the institution can decide whether they introduce obligatory vaccination or not. The trade union said that if the government did not prescribe obligatory vaccination even for the teachers working in the latter branch of education, unvaccinated teachers would move to work in schools where the jab is not mandatory – portfolio.hu wrote.

Hungarian infectious disease specialist: new restrictions may come

 

Almost 100 people died in Hungary in COVID-related illnesses

According to MTI, altogether 98 patients died of a Covid-related illness over the past 24 hours, while 8,434 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Wednesday.

So far 5,981,915  people have received a first jab,

while 5,760,912 have been fully vaccinated. Fully 1,431,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab.

The number of active infections stands at 78,025, while hospitals are treating 4,830 Covid-19 patients, 463 of whom need respiratory assistance. Since the first outbreak, 923,020 infections have been registered, while the number of fatalities has risen to 31,619. Fully 813,376 people have made a recovery. There are 32,950 people in official quarantine, while the number of tests taken stands at 7,677,571.

tram budapest
Read alsoWill mandatory vaccination shut down the Hungarian public transport?

Hungarian infectious disease specialist: new restrictions may come

János Szlávik, chief infectious disease specialist of the South Pest Central Hospital, spoke about the coronavirus. Szlávik believes that the waves of epidemics mostly consist of an ascending phase and a short stagnation followed by a descending phase. Hungary is currently in the ascending phase.

The Hungarian epidemic situation is getting worse again

The number of people infected with the coronavirus has been steadily rising in recent days. Szlávik also pointed out that there were way more restrictions when the figures were this bad in March. However, an important difference is that there were not that many vaccinated people back then. The Hungarian Government decided not to impose further restrictions probably because it took into account the high vaccination rate.

Although, we do not know what to expect in the future. Many are afraid that there will be further restrictions at Christmas time.

“I do not think anyone can say that, because the number of cases that we have now is very high, so it is also conceivable that the numbers will drop by Christmas time,”

said Szlávik. The government has been organising a vaccination action week to prevent the coronavirus epidemic from deteriorating.

Restrictions may come soon

Szlávik believes that it would be important to introduce new restrictions. Due to limited capacity of the Hungarian health care system, the number of infected people must not increase further. According to Szlávik, the use of the protection card has become more and more widespread. Consequently, the number of people who choose to get vaccinated has been also rising.

“After all, if we restrict an unvaccinated person in his daily life, sooner or later he will be compelled to take the vaccine so that he can continue his everyday life with the same normality as before.”

Vaccinations take time to develop protection. Therefore, whoever wants to be vaccinated should go for vaccination as soon as possible. In addition, it is important to mention that the coronavirus vaccine and the flu shot can be taken at the same time, writes index.hu.

Szlávik also mentioned the anti-coronavirus medicine. There are two pills that are in the third phase of research, said the infectious disease specialist on TV2. Based on current tests, both drugs prove to be effective. They are especially useful to treat mild to moderate symptoms. According to the preliminary studies, one of the pills, that was manufactured by Pfizer, is 89 percent effective for prevention of hospitalization and death.

Will mandatory vaccination shut down the Hungarian public transport?

tram budapest

Many employees in different sectors will be obligated to take the vaccine. Taking the jab will become mandatory for healthcare professionals, employees in state institutions and at the Defense Forces as well as for public transport workers since these employee groups are particularly affected.

Starting from November, employers in Hungary are authorised to make vaccines mandatory at the workplace. It is up to the employer whether he allows unvaccinated people to remain at the workplace or he will send them on unpaid leave. Those working at the Hungarian Defence Forces have to take the first jab by 1 December. Employees of state or municipal institutions have to take the first dose of the vaccine by 15 December if they work closely with clients. But even those employees who do not work closely with clients will be required to take the jab. The deadline for them is 31 January 2022.

You can read about other Covid-related regulations in this article or you should visit this link for further info. In a recent article we have informed our readers that

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that Hungary would receive an additional 15 million coronavirus vaccine doses by the end of this year. Furthermore, it has also been stated that employees of state institutions will be sent on unpaid leave with immediate effect if they refuse to take the vaccine.

The situation of public transport will likely deteriorate if taking the jab becomes compulsory. According to a statement of the President of the Railway Trade Union (Vasutas Szakszervezet) and the President of the Solidarity Bus Transport Union (Szolidaritás Autóbusz-Közlekedési Szakszervezet) given to ATV : “if vaccination becomes mandatory, both MÁV and Volán will likely cease to operate”.

The number of vaccinated railroaders matches the national standard. However, if the numbers are broken down to departments, the percentage is not that good. Those employees who actively take part in railroad transport have the worst figures regarding vaccination rate.

Read also: Hungarian virologist would introduce stricter restrictions for unvaccinated people!

The situation at Volán is not promising either. Employees are angry about the possible introduction of mandatory vaccination. Having said that, István Dobi’s, the chairman of the Solidarity Bus Transport Union, still believes that vaccination will not be mandatory. There is not a sufficient number of reserves employed at the company; therefore, it would likely cease the operation of Volán.

The new regulation authorises employers to send unvaccinated workers to unpaid leave. This unpaid leave can last even for a year. At local municipalities, the mayor is the decision maker in this regard. The only way to be exempted from the rule is to provide an official medical certificate that proves that the person is not advised to take the jab.

Coronavirus Vaccination Hungary
Read alsoHungarian professor answers the most common concerns about vaccination