Hungary is donating 800,000 coronavirus vaccine doses to Ghana and 300,000 doses to Rwanda, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Facebook on Monday.
Thanks to its decisions on the procurement of coronavirus vaccines and its swift vaccination campaign, Hungary is now in a position to vaccinate anyone who wants the jab, Szijjártó said in a video before leaving for a trip to Africa.
“We have enough vaccines for first, second and third doses, and we have a reserve,” the minister said. “Hungary can afford to help the countries that are in a difficult situation. This way we can give the vaccines we haven’t used at home to the African countries.”
Szijjártó said he will deliver the 300,000 vaccine doses to Rwanda on Wednesday. He added that on the way there he will stop in Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles, for talks on the continued training of their doctors and nurses in Hungary and to sign a tourism agreement.
After Rwanda, Szijjártó will fly to Turkey to take part in a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Turkic Council member countries, followed by a ministerial summit on Friday.
During the summit, Hungary will hand over a donation of 200,000 vaccine doses, Szijjártó said, noting a decision by the Turkic Council countries to jointly support the African countries in their defence against the pandemic.
The coronavirus changed many lives, took beloved people, and the biggest pandemic since the plague does not seem to be disappearing anytime soon. After opening up again, places had to be closed, and our social life is not the same as it used to be. Everyone wants life to be back to “normal”, even if we have to redefine normal. But why is it that despite all these circumstances, many people refuse the vaccine? What are the main concerns, and what is a professor’s response? Find out in the article below.
Based on data published on koronavirus.gov.hu, there are 9,781 people infected with Covid-19 in Budapest and 46,479 in rural areas. 144,385 people recovered from the illness in Budapest and 660,335 people in rural areas. 5,559 people passed away in Budapest and 25,625 residents in rural areas. 25,516 people are currently in quarantine.
Unvaccinated children aged 12-18 and children under the age of 12 are also endangered by the coronavirus, reported RTL. In the past, children either did not have symptoms, or the symptoms of Covid-19 were mild in their case. Now, more and more children are getting the virus and have noticeable symptoms. This is due to the long quarantine period because children were protected from germs, for example. Now, seasonal respiratory illnesses seem to be more common among kids. They even show symptoms of Covid-19.
Despite the new wave and the spread of many variants, only 5,967,747 people got the vaccine in Hungary.
Many unvaccinated citizens reject the vaccines because they do not trust them. HVG asked Zsolt Boldogkői, the Head of the Department of Medical Biology at the University of Szeged, to respond to the most common questions and concerns that people have about the jab.
The professor said that the vaccine does not change DNA. This misinformation might be based on some confusion. Some vaccines contain adenoviruses, which are often mistaken for adeno-associated viruses. The first one is used for vaccines. The latter is used in gene therapy, but they are not in any of the Covid-19 vaccines.
The professor agrees that pharmaceutical companies want to gain profit but adds that this is the same with every product. He also explained that vaccines go through a rigorous process to be approved. He added that vaccines make the immune system function, and vaccines have different results for those who already have a weaker immune system. Another point he makes is that every medicine has its side effects.
The virus is significantly less likely to infect those who are vaccinated and is also less likely to be passed on to others. Even if the virus is detected in their body, they are infected for a much shorter time and pass on the virus to others for a shorter time. There are significantly fewer vaccinated people hospitalised than non-vaccinated people. However, elderly people with weak immune systems are still more likely to get the virus.
Another piece of important information is that people do not die of the vaccine. Unfortunately, there can be adverse side effects, but these happen in an extremely small number of cases. The vaccines are not dangerous to pregnant women and their unborn babies, but it is wise to discuss getting the vaccine with your doctor. They might advise you on which vaccine you should take.
Another false piece of information is that people cannot get the virus if they do not go to social gatherings or crowds. Besides, healthy and young people can get the virus as well. Moreover, vaccines are safe.
The professor said that if 3.91 billion people on the planet got the vaccine and there have not been serious issues, then issues are unlikely to occur in the future.
Hungarian virologist Zsolt Boldogkői would introduce further restrictions. As the coronavirus is once again becoming more widespread in Hungary, the expert says that something needs to be done. Boldogkői thinks that the Hungarian government should take action against those who are not vaccinated.
Rough restrictions for the unvaccinated
Virologist Zsolt Boldogkői would primarily restrict unvaccinated people. Boldogkői wants to achieve drastic changes. He stated in RTL Newsthat
“After 8 or 10 o’clock in the evening, there should be a curfew for unvaccinated people.”
Furthermore, he would prohibit the use of public transport for them. However, the virologist added that vaccinated people are also able to become infected and transmit the virus. Nevertheless, they are much less likely to pass on the virus than unvaccinated people.
Boldogkői has previously commented on the coronavirus. On Televesion Szeged, he said that people still do not take the coronavirus pandemic seriously enough. Therefore, this needs to change in the thinking of the individual and society as a whole. Many people do not take the virus situation seriously because they do not receive enough information about the pandemic.
Boldogkői puts it this way: “There is a very significant group of people who could not be persuaded to vaccinate themselves with any kind of reasoning or coercion.
That’s why I’ve been stressing for a long time that we should somehow gradually introduce obligatory vaccination,”
said Boldogkői. Not only him, but also Miklós Rusvai, a professor at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, made a statement. “Vaccination is now reducing the burden on healthcare, protecting people, but we slowly need to release the virus onto the population.”
According to data, Hungary is the epicentre of the coronavirus in Central and Eastern Europe.
According to the professor, it is important to ensure that not everyone becomes infected. Therefore, the Hungarian government should introduce further restrictions. Certificates of protection should also be requested in restaurants, offices, and public institutions. These measures could increase vaccination.
PM Viktor Orbán said in his regular Friday morning interview that until everyone is inoculated the virus will keep lingering. He added that while less than one percent of those who are vaccinated fall ill with Covid, those who have not received the jab were ten times more at risk. Although those who are vaccinated can also contract the virus, “far fewer of them” end up seriously ill than those who are unvaccinated, the prime minister said.
He said protective measures like mask mandates were effective in slowing the spread of the virus but did not guarantee full protection. “So we mustn’t be under the illusion that we are protected if we go into lockdown, self-isolate and wear a mask. That doesn’t protect us, only the vaccine does,” Orbán said.
The prime minister said Hungary will have 15 million coronavirus vaccine doses delivered by the end of the year.
Concerning the new protective measures introduced from Nov. 1, Orban said the reason the government had got employers involved in the defence against the pandemic was because the virus was spreading faster in some parts of the country than others. Employers have therefore been given the right to order their employees to get vaccinated and put those who do not comply on unpaid leave, he noted, acknowledging that “this is a controversial measure”. Orban added, at the same time, that though Hungarians would not have accepted a blanket vaccine mandate, they accepted such a decision being taken by the workplace community.
Workers employed by state institutions who come into contact with a lot of people but refuse to get vaccinated will be put on unpaid leave with immediate effect.
Eventually all state employees will have to decide between getting vaccinated or being put on unpaid leave, he added.
No protective measure can shield people from contracting the coronavirus, only the vaccine can, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Friday.
In a regular interview with public broadcaster Kossuth Rádió, the prime minister noted that the Delta variant of the virus was more aggressive and infectious than its previous variants.
Those who are inoculated against Covid are not in danger,
he said, adding at the same time that the virus was life threatening to those who have not been vaccinated. Not only are they likely to get infected, but they will also likely end up seriously ill and in hospital, Orbán warned, and encouraged everyone to get the vaccine. Until everyone is inoculated the virus will keep lingering, he said, adding that while less than one percent of those who are vaccinated fall ill with Covid, those who have not received the jab were ten times more at risk.
According to 444.hu, the prime minister cleared that the Hungarians would not support obligatory vaccination. But, based on surveys, people back the idea of putting that decision in the hands of the employers. And that is why the government decided so last week.
Based on the latest COVID news, eighty-three patients died of a Covid-related illness in the past 24 hours, while 6,804 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Friday. So far 5,967,747 people have received a first jab, while 5,748,682 have been fully vaccinated. Fully 1,315,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab. The number of active infections stands at 56,260, while
hospitals are treating 3,629 Covid patients, 366 of whom need respiratory assistance.
Since the first outbreak, 892,164 infections have been registered, while the number of fatalities has risen to 31,184. Fully 804,720 people have made a recovery.
Hungary’s authorities controlled by the interior ministry have been under “enormous pressure” in the recent period due to the coronavirus pandemic and illegal migration, but have performed their tasks “with remarkable success”, Interior Minister Sándor Pintér said at an annual hearing before parliament’s defence and law enforcement committee on Thursday.
Hungarians are satisfied with the performance of the bodies operated by the ministry, he said. Citing a survey, the minister said that on a 1-5 scale, 33 percent of Hungarians rated the work of the national police force a 5, with just 11 percent giving it a 2 or a 1 rating
The authorities registered less than 100,000 crimes over the last nine months and almost
80 percent of criminal cases were solved,
“something few other European countries can say about themselves”, he said. Public safety has improved and police are more devoted to their work and more successful, he added. Turning to migration, Pintér said a total of 101,000 migrants had attempted to enter Hungary illegally so far this year, the highest figure recorded since 2015 when 391,000 attempted to enter. More than 700 human smugglers were also apprehended this year, he added.
The ministry has several plans for strengthening the protection of Hungary’s borders, including “expanding the possibility for armed border protection”, he said. On another subject, he said those rescued from Afghanistan were being cared for and that the ministry
would be working with the churches on aiding the integration of those who want to settle in Hungary.
Concerning the prison system, Pinter said more people were being locked up due to the stricter penalties, and although Hungary’s prisons still guaranteed 4 square metres per inmate, more container prisons needed to be built.
Asked about Covid vaccine mandates at state institutions, Pintér said: “We cannot guarantee the security of the country with sick people.” No one working at a hospital can be allowed to get infected and it would also be a problem if the virus made its way into prisons, he said. The minister added that the vaccination rate within the various units at the police force ranged from 68 to 96 percent.
The operative body responsible for handling the pandemic is
constantly monitoring the status of the pandemic,
Pintér said, adding that he trusted that hospitals could withstand the pressure as they had during the third wave.
“Given that the situation is getting more serious, there will again be a need for stricter measures, likely at the end of this week or next week at the cabinet meeting,” Pintér said. He added that a project group had been tasked with identifying methods that can reduce the mortality rate of the virus.
In response to a question from Jobbik MP László György Lukács, Pintér said there were more health-care professionals working at state-run hospitals and outpatient clinics than there had been before the law governing their legal status had come into effect.
The coronavirus reproduction number shows how many healthy people can catch the virus from an infected person.
According to hvg.hu, Hungary has the highest reproduction number in the world: 1.85. This means that 100 infected people can transmit the disease to 185 non-infected ones. The second place belongs to Colombia (1.76), while the third position is occupied by the Czech Republic, with a reproduction number of 1.68.
Zsolt Boldogkői, a Hungarian virologist, said that the epidemic now has another outbreak in Hungary, and the fourth wave is coming from the East. Gergely Röst, a Hungarian Mathematician, said that the new wave affected regions where the vaccination rate is low. He added that the current trend might result in calamities soon. Moreover,
even a new vaccination campaign would not be enough to stop the accelerating spread of the virus.
Based on MTI, one hundred and seven patients died of a Covid-related illness in the past 24 hours, while 6,268 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Thursday. So far, 5,962,878 people have received their first jab, while 5,744,219 have been fully vaccinated. 1,274,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab. The number of active infections stands at 51,108, while hospitals are treating 3,366 Covid patients, 349 of whom need respiratory assistance.
Since the first outbreak, 885,360 infections have been registered, while the number of fatalities has risen to 31,101. 803,151 people have made a full recovery. A total of 22,587 people are in official quarantine, and 7,498,823 tests have been registered.
Seventy-four patients died of a Covid-related illness in the past 24 hours, while 2,595 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Wednesday.
So far 5,958,890 people have received a first jab, while 5,740,424 have been fully vaccinated. Fully 1,243,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab.
The number of active infections stands at 46,408, while hospitals are treating 3,172 Covid patients, 350 of whom need respiratory assistance.
Since the first outbreak, 879,092 infections have been registered, while the number of fatalities has risen to 30,994. Fully 801,690 people have made a recovery.
Fully 19,192 people are in official quarantine, and 7,477,324 tests have been taken.
Hungary received the second-worst classification in terms of Covid infection numbers by the European Union. To prevent the virus from spreading, several safety precautions and regulations were introduced.
The general regulations
As Daily News Hungary wrote, several regulations were introduced on 1 November. Visiting hospital patients is not permitted unless the patient is terminally ill. Employers can make vaccines mandatory if they wish. It is the employers’ decision to allow the unvaccinated employees to keep working or send them on unpaid leave.
Those working at the Hungarian Defence Forces have to take the first jab by 1 December. People employed by state or municipal institutions have to take the first dose of the vaccine by 15 December if they work closely with clients. If their job does not require them to be in contact with clients, the deadline is 31 January.
Wearing masks is mandatory for travelers. At train stations, bus stations and stops, and on all vehicles of public transportation wearing masks is obligatory. Drivers who work in a closed cabin, children under 6 years of age, or people with psychosocial disability or autism are exempted from the rule. The masks are also a must have in theaters, cinemas, and libraries.
The new regulation
The most recent rule implies that masks are mandatory in spas, RTL reported. Masks are mandatory in closed spaces such as the hall, corridor, and changing cabins. Masks are not mandatory in the pools, shower cabins, saunas, and steam cabins. Spas opened in May and back than a COVID certificate was necessary to enter. In July this rule was lifted.
Virologist Miklós Rusvai said that the certificate should be required from visitors again. He also stated that the virus cannot infect people in the water due to the products that are used to keep it clean. The saunas and steam cabins create a safe environment where the virus cannot spread either.
However, it is important to keep in mind that the vaccine does not mean that people cannot catch the virus. Vaccinated people can still get Covid-19 and infect others. The point of taking the vaccine is that the symptoms will be less severe if you get contracted with the virus. The vaccine prevents the vast majority of people from being taken to the hospital. Most people who are currently treated in intensive care are unvaccinated.
Unfortunately, coronavirus numbers have risen quite sharply over the past few weeks, and in order to combat that, the government has made some decisions that take effect from today.
Recently, Hungary has received the second-worst classification in terms of Covid infection numbers by the European Union. Here are the restrictions you must keep in mind.
Visitor Ban
From November 1st, visiting all hospitals is banned. According to Cecília Müller, it was necessary to impose a ban on visiting inpatient care in order to maintain and ensure the functioning of the healthcare system. This does not include visiting last-stage terminally ill patients.
In social institutions, the leader there decides on a ban on leaving and visiting the institution from 1 November, says Portfolio.
Mandatory Vaccination?
Under the new rules, employers may also require employees of non-state and municipal companies and organisations to be vaccinated. In the absence of vaccination, employers may send employees on unpaid leave.
Origosays that it is important, however, that employers must inform their workers in written form and define a deadline as well as the consequences of failing to be vaccinated.
On Friday, they added that the same goes for the people working at the Hungarian Defence Forces. They have to take the first dose by December 1st, says Telex. The Covid vaccine is also mandatory for people employed by state or municipal institutions. Their deadline is December 15th if they work closely with clients and January 31st if they do not.
The latest measures take effect throughout Hungary from today, November 1st. Mask-wearing is mandatory for:
travellers and workers on public transport.
those at stations, train stations, and stops, as well as employees if they work in an area where they are in contact with travellers.
Exclusions: Drivers who work in a closed cabin, children under 6 years of age or people with psychosocial disability or autism.
People should wear a mask that completely covers the nose and mouth. Anyone who does not follow the rules can be excluded from public transportation immediately. If they do not leave on request, the company could ask for police assistance.
Gergely Karácsony, the Mayor of Budapest, announced even stricter measures in the capital on his Facebook page. In addition to the above rules,
it is mandatory to wear a mask inside theatres, cinemas, and libraries.
These are places where the Hungarian capital’s leadership has the legal option of introducing mandatory mask-wearing. The Mayor is also negotiating with the Hungarian government to order the general use of masks indoors due to worsening coronavirus numbers.
‘Szalagavató’ is a special Hungarian event for high school graduates to celebrate that they have finished their studies. It usually also culminates in a ball. As per the current rulings, because it is a special school event, it is not subject to emergency regulations.
But according to Hvg, Minister Miklós Kásler signed a document that says that people (parents, relatives) need to comply with the new regulations, that is, they need to wear masks in enclosed spaces while attending.
In the lead up to the 40th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), diverse voices representing the global publishing ecosystem have come together for the 11th edition of the three-day Publishers Conference to network and unite industrywide efforts to build a roadmap for post-pandemic recovery.
Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) in partnership with the International Publishers Association (IPA) at Expo Centre Sharjah, the three-day conference began today (Sunday, 31 October) highlighting the need for stronger stakeholder collaboration and cooperation.
In a keynote address, Bodour Al Qasimi, President of IPA, reiterated their commitment to help support publishers emerge stronger from the pandemic.
“As we celebrate the 125th anniversary of the IPA this year, we are reminded of its long-standing role in giving a voice to publishers around the world”, said Al Qasimi, recounting the role IPA has played not just during global crises but throughout history to address key issues like protection of copyright, freedom to publish and the development of literacy, which affect industry stakeholders worldwide.
Referring to IPA discussions in context of Covid-19 over the past 18 months, Bodour Al Qasimi emphasised, “we want to enhance multi-stakeholder cooperation and strengthen solidarity between each. This is why the IPA worked with many partners to develop the International Sustainable Publishing and Industry Resilience Plan, also known as the Inspire Plan.
Bodour Al Qasimi, President of IPA during her keynote address
Photo: Press Release
HE Ahmed Al Ameri, SBA chairman, during his welcome remarks
Photo: Press Release
More than 50 publishing stakeholders have already committed to collaborating on its 10 objectives, following its recent launch. “We hope to see more trade organisations endorse the Plan during the Sharjah International Book Fair, and strengthen our chance of a strong recovery through collective action and increased dialogue”, the IPA President added.
Bodour Al Qasimi also reiterated to the conference attendees that IPA is working with different partners to help bridge the skills gap through the launch of IPA Academy.
Upon its launch, “the Academy will offer online masterclasses in multiple languages to all our members, which will help bridge the skills gap, and help our members adapt to rapidly changing readership and consumer behavior trends,” IPA President explained.
Welcoming participants to the conference, HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, SBA Chairman, reflected on Sharjah’s exemplary human-centric journey of development as envisioned by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
He noted: “In 2001, the world agreed on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and in 2015, the United Nations announced the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The vital sectors of growth as identified by these Goals included health, education, services and food security. I suggest putting the publishing sector on this list too as it fulfills functions vital to life and progress”.
Al Ameri also suggested that the publishing sector’s contributions feature in global developmental plans and strategies, and that stakeholders collectively agree on indicators to measure the growth, flexibility and sustainability of the global publishing industry.
“If the eradication of illiteracy is the starting point for nation’s development, then the development of skills, conscience and imagination will guarantee that this development is continuous and long-term. The sustainability of the publishing sector, therefore, becomes not an isolated goal but a vital piece in the global developmental,” the SBA Chairman concluded.
Landmark Inspire Charter to build industry solidarity, drive resiliency
Leading the professional agenda of the 11th Publishers Conference was a panel discussion that explored IPA’s Inspire Plan roadmap which sets the stage for the creation of a more united, resilient, and inclusive post-pandemic publishing industry, and paves the way for coordinated action to strengthen and elevate the entire publishing ecosystem.
Moderating a conversation on ‘Coming Together in Crisis: How the International Sustainable Publishing and Industry Resilience (Inspire) Initiative is Supporting Industry Recovery in Unprecedented Times’, Karine Pansa, Vice President of IPA, said: “Inspire was born from a landmark IPA report From Response to Recovery: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Global Publishing Industry, published in November 2020.
A headline finding was a universal call for solidarity in working together towards a more coherent and resilient publishing industry. Our future will be even more co-dependent, and stakeholders need the support of IPA, of governments, and local and international agencies and bodies.”
Lawrence Njagi, Chairperson, Kenya Publishers Association, said: “The pandemic caught us flat footed, crippled our operations; we were not prepared as an industry as a whole, like several other sectors. Issues of overreliance on textbooks over trade books affected us in a huge way with school closures. We lacked marketing plans and teams and work-from-home infrastructure too. So, we started looking at different ways of doing things and the Inspire Plan serves as an excellent guide to overcome these challenges in an inclusive, sustainable manner.”
Bodour Al Qasimi, President of IPA, HE Ahmed Al Ameri, and other attendees of the Publishers Conference
Photo: Press Release
Image from the first panel session
Photo: Press Release
Mingzhou Zhang, President, International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), said: “The impact of the pandemic on the children’s and YA book industries were unprecedented as most writers and illustrators of children’s books make the lion’s share of their sales in schools – Covid-19 completed blocked their entry into school campuses”.
“However, the industry-wide solidarity we have seen and experienced has been so positive and encouraging. Moreover, the acceleration of digitalisation, especially in the children’s book industry, is a welcome revolution and will continue as a trend long after the pandemic is over,” he added.
Patrici Tixis, Vice President, LIBER Book Fair, and Acting President, Spanish Federation of Publishers’ Guilds, said: “The pandemic has changed everything. We need to see things in a new way. We still don’t know the full impact of these changes, but in Spain for instance, consumer behaviour has already experienced new patterns. In pre-pandemic times, 85 out of 100 books were sold in bookshops and 50 out of 100 were sold on e-commerce platforms.
That is not the reality anymore, especially as bookshops are probably the weakest part of our publishing value chain. They are fragmented and needed financial support. Post-pandemic, they started working closely with printers, publishers and other stakeholders and the current reality is that our book market has grown by 15% compared not only to 2020 but also to pre-pandemic revenues. We are trying to open Spain to global markets like Latin America and Sharjah is going to be a key player in enabling our expansion into regional markets.”
Yuliia Кozlovets, Coordinator of the International Book Arsenal Festival in Kiev, Ukraine, said: “Even before Covid-19, Ukraine’s publishing industry was facing several challenges. During the lockdown, we launched a programme for Ukrainian writers abroad.
This year we organised the Book Arsenal Festival in an online format, applying the lessons we learned during the pandemic. How should we be organising book festivals in the new normal?
The physical presence of publishers at a book fair, the reader’s interaction with books – these are vital to the industry’s growth prospects, but are currently a challenge for us to execute safely. I am, therefore, personally extremely inspired by the Inspire Plan because it addresses common challenges faced by publishing industry worldwide, and at the same time, looks into individual roadblocks. The Plan brings us closer together in addressing these issues collaboratively and cohesively, making sure no one is left behind.”
Hungary’s government has issued a decree giving employers the power to require their workers to be inoculated against the coronavirus “as a condition of working” in the latest issue of the official gazette Magyar Közlöny.
Employers may require Covid jabs of their staff “if they deem it necessary in the interest of the safety of people working there”, according to the decree.
Employers who instruct their workers to be inoculated must give them 45 days to get their first jab.
Workers must get the second jab on the date assigned by the physician administering the inoculation.
Employees who do not comply may be put on unpaid leave for a period of one year and may be terminated after that period if they still have not been inoculated.
Employees who can produce a doctor’s certification showing inoculation against the coronavirus would put them at risk because of a health condition are exempt from the new rule.
Gergely Gulyás, the prime minister’s chief of staff, said today that all epidemic projections show that during the fourth wave the number of infections could jump significantly and the number of patients who need hospitalisation or ventilator care could also increase, so the situation requires the introduction of new measures.
The number of infections is lower in countries with higher vaccination rate and “the lower the vaccination rate, the more tragic the situation becomes” Gulyás said. Hungary is among the best in the region but still below the EU average, he added. The cabinet has consulted with experts and made its decision at the proposal of the operative board in charge of pandemic management, he said. Giving employers the right to require vaccination has been recommended by employers’ associations, he added.
Compared to vaccination, the effectiveness of all other forms of protection is only secondary, which is why every measure that can boost the vaccination rate is important, he said. Meanwhile, on the topic of migration, Gulyás also said Hungary will send a letter to the European Commission asking it to cover at least part of the costs of the country’s border fence.
Migration pressure on Europe’s borders is growing and is expected to keep increasing,
“It would be nice if the European Commission switched from supporting migration to supporting the protection of external borders, because if we don’t want Europe to be destabilised during the pandemic and the economic recovery then we need effective border protection, which requires proper European approval,” he said.
The pressure of migration is growing as a result of the situation in Afghanistan and events at the Belarus border, he said. The number of illegal border crossing attempts is currently a daily average of 319 as against 97 in the same period of last year, he added.
A debate on handling migration is again under way in Europe, and for the time being
“the European Commission is unfortunately on the side of migration”,
he said. The commissioner for home affairs recently said that post-pandemic recovery was only possible with the involvement of migrants and migrant organisations, he added.
Gulyás said the EC was unable to grasp “the right answer” to the problem, but a growing number of people, he added, were starting to realise it. He cited European People’s Party group leader Manfred Weber who, Gulyas said, had clearly voiced support for the construction of physical borders and called on the EU to contribute to border protection.
In response to a question on making vaccination mandatory, he said the measure applied to getting two shots, and exceptions in medically justified cases would be given in line with the rules already in force in health care.
Those that refuse to get vaccinated can be forced to take unpaid leave,
and if the situation persists for more than a year while the requirement still in force, then their employment can be terminated, Gulyás said.
He said the measure was justified because the vaccination rate had to be increased in order to fight the fourth wave and prevent future waves of the epidemic. More than ten organisations have requested its introduction in the area of tourism, as well as the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, he added. The first shot will have to be administered by Dec. 15 and the measure will stay in force until “the epidemic stays with us”, he said.
Mandatory vaccination will be standard practice in state companies and large state-run systems,
such as among teachers, he said.
The vaccination rate in the public sector is significantly higher than the national average, but, for instance, in the armed forces it is lower. He added that home office was not a planned option in public administration. Gulyás said the vaccination rate in Budapest was around 80 percent. Mandatory mask-wearing in public spaces was not discussed at the cabinet meeting, he added.
In response to a question, he said a study was still in preparation to assess why the Covid mortality rate was higher in Hungary than in Austria.
Some hospitals have already introduced bans for visitors but exceptions would be maintained, for instance, in the case of visits to people nearing death. Postponing scheduled operations or reopening the epidemic hospital of Kiskunhalas has not been discussed because there is still a sufficient number of free hospital beds, he added.
Without citing exact figures, Gulyás said
there were “plenty of free ventilators available” in Hungary.
He also said that the government was not planning to make PCR testing free of charge.
Forty-five patients died of a Covid-related illness in the past 24 hours, while 4,039 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Thursday.
So far 5,947,085 people have received a first jab, while 5,728,025 have been fully vaccinated. Fully 1,164,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab. The number of active infections stands at 31,544, while hospitals are
treating 1,970 Covid patients, 204 of whom need respiratory assistance.
Since the first outbreak, 859,378 infections have been registered, while fatalities have risen to 30,692. Fully 797,142 people have made a recovery.
There are 22,710 people in official quarantine, while 7,348,118 tests have been officially carried out.
Meanwhile, Hungary is sending 40 ventilators, 1,650 noninvasive ventilation (NIV) masks and 3,000 packages of the drug favipiravir to 20 hospitals in Romania, mostly in Transylvania, to aid the country in its management of the coronavirus epidemic, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Thursday.
Considering that the epidemic knows no boundaries, the success of epidemic management in neighbouring countries greatly contributes to the success of Hungary’s epidemic response efforts, he said.
He added that a fourth wave of the epidemic was raging across Europe and countries with low vaccination rates, such as Romania, could easily get in trouble.
Many patients in Romania need invasive treatment and many of the hospitals find it hard to cope, he said. Consultations on the best ways to help are ongoing between representatives of the Hungarian government and the Romanian government, including many ethnic Hungarians, such as Deputy Prime Minister Hunor Kelemen and Health Minister Attila Cseke, he added.
Thirty-six patients died of a Covid-related illness in the past 24 hours, while 3,125 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Wednesday.
So far 5,943,832 people have received a first jab, while 5,724,539 have been fully vaccinated. Fully 1,141,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab.
The number of active infections stands at 28,257,
while hospitals are treating 1,798 Covid patients, 197 of whom need respiratory assistance.
It seems that there is some conflict concerning mask-wearing in Budapest. The number of infected started to rise again. Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony would like to make mask-wearing mandatory in closed spaces, including public transportation.
The Evidence
According to Telex, it is evident that the fourth wave is showing an upward trend, with infections rising significantly compared to previous numbers. The National Centre for Public Health says that the coronavirus concentration of wastewater is rapidly growing all around Hungary.
According to the government’s latest coronavirus data, over 8,389 people got infected since Friday and hospitals are currently treating over 1,685 Covid patients. Almost 200 of them need respiratory assistance.
János Szlávik infectologist said it is difficult to project the development of the epidemic because the Delta variant is significantly more infectious.
At the same time, he said the fourth wave was likely to peak in November or December.
The Proposal
According to Index, now the Mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony himself, made an announcement on Tuesday. He said that the situation in Budapest is not worse than the country average but called the attention to the fact that last year, significant epidemiological measures were implemented at the same level of infection as of recently. “Yet we see no measures in place today,” he added.
The leadership of Budapest, including vice mayor Ambrus Kiss, wanted to make mask-wearing mandatory on public transportations for some time now. Due to a change of law however, they have no authority to do so. So, they have turned to Sándor Pintér, Minister of Internal Affairs to consider a stricter mask-wearing protocol, but they have yet to receive an answer.
The Mayor of Budapest asked citizens to wear masks when using the public transportation.
In the following period, the Centre for Budapest Transport will voice the importance of mask-wearing on all platforms and kindly asks public transportation users to wear a mask while travelling.
“We ask the government to make mask-wearing mandatory again. This is all we can do now,” Gergely Karácsony, mayor of Budapest told the press, says Portfolio.
Since they cannot make that mandatory on a municipality level, it must come from higher up, they will change mask-wearing rules in establishments under the scope which they hold.
The Measures
From November 2, there will be stricter measures in elderly homes, said vice mayor Erzsébet Gy. Németh.
A curfew will be in place, meaning that the elderly can only visit their family. If they decide to visit, they would have to be isolated once they go back to the home. Only family members with immunity certificates can take the elderly home, however.
Contactless visits will still be in place and visitors will have to wear masks from next month. However, the vice mayor added that the
family of elderly people in the final stages of terminal illness will be given the opportunity to visit their relative.
Patients with Covid in Hungary are increasingly young and are less likely to have been vaccinated, virologist Miklós Rusvai said on Sunday.
Both the elderly who suffer from a chronic illness and many teenagers have been fully vaccinated, Rusvai told public news broadcaster M1, adding that it was the unvaccinated middle-aged who were at greatest risk.
At the same time, compared with a year ago there are fewer Covid-related deaths as well as patients requiring respiratory assistance, he said.
The virologist advised people to get the flu vaccine and to wear a mask on public transport and in shops, saying doing so would greatly reduce the risk of spreading and catching viruses.
Budapest’s vice mayor Ambrus Kiss announced that they would like to make wearing masks mandatory again. They are waiting for the Minister of Internal Affairs to respond.
Data shows that there are fewer people suffering from coronavirus than this time last year. However, many people would prefer to make masks mandatory on public transportation, Ambrus Kiss said at a press conference.
Telex writes that this measure is impossible because of an amendment of the law. According to this, Budapest does not have the right to make wearing masks mandatory. The city turned to the Minister of Internal Affairs, asking them to make mask-wearing obligatory.
Ambrus Kiss also announced that the capital assembly will hold a discussion regarding Sziget Festival next week. They will talk about the public space agreement and the Integrated Territorial Program (Integrált Területi Program) as well.
In a former article, Daily News Hungary reported on the brutal rise in the number of new COVID infections. According to the official announcement on Wednesday, 1,668 new coronavirus infections were registered. Data from the day shows that 5,929,164 people got the first dose of the vaccine. 5,706,773 Hungarians have been fully vaccinated, and 1,033,000 people have received a booster jab.
Meanwhile, the government announced that there will be no restrictions on the celebration on 23 October.
“The State Secretary announced: as in the case of many former events – for example, the August 20 line of events or the International Eucharistic Congress –, the restrictions due to the coronavirus epidemic will not be in effect on the national holidays, state and municipal events, church, state, and municipal commemorations, cemetery visitations on All Saints’ Day and the Day of the Dead,” writes koronavirus.gov.hu.
Virologist Miklós Rusvai does not consider wearing masks a necessity. However, he thinks that guests coming to celebrate October 23 might be a problem. The guests will come from Romania, a country where doctors take desperate measures to save patients. The healthcare system in Romania collapsed, and patients had to be transported to Hungary. To find out why Romanian guests might be an issue, read our article about the collapse of their healthcare system HERE.
