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.
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.
Thirty-nine patients died of a Covid-related illness in the past 24 hours, while 1,867 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Tuesday.
So far 5,955,250 people have received a first jab, while 5,736,452 have been fully vaccinated. Fully 1,221,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab.
The number of active infections stands at 44,781, while
hospitals are treating 2,839 Covid patients, 312 of whom need respiratory assistance.
Since the first outbreak, 876,497 infections have been registered, while
the number of fatalities has risen to 30,920.
Fully 800,796 people have made a recovery.
Fully 17,549 people are in official quarantine, and 7,464,487 tests have been taken.
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 Monday. Details HERE.
One hundred fifty-two patients died of a Covid-related illness during the weekend, while 11,211 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Monday.
So far 5,955,207 people have received a first jab, while 5,736,378 have been fully vaccinated. Fully 1,221,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab.
The number of active infections stands at 43,542,
while hospitals are treating 2,605 Covid patients, 299 of whom need respiratory assistance.
Since the first outbreak, 874,630 infections have been registered, while
fatalities have risen to 30,881.
Fully 795,562 people have made a recovery.
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. Read details HERE.
Research suggests that sniffer dogs can detect coronavirus infections with outstanding accuracy. The United Arab Emirates now employs 38 sniffer dogs, including trained dogs from the Pest County Search and Rescue Service, at its airports.
Dogs’ noses have approximately 300 million scent receptors, while humans only bear 5−6 million. We have been utilising this powerful and superior sense of smell for decades to detect firearms, explosives, and drugs. Scientists have also trained dogs to detect various types of cancer, low blood sugar, and even malaria.
International studies
In the past two years, researchers have turned their attention to finding the most effective ways of detecting the signs of a COVID-19 infection, writes Nature. They started to train dogs to smell samples and alert by sitting or pawing the floor when they detect the distinctive odour of the virus. In 2020, a number of airports in the United Arab Emirates, Finland, and Lebanon took part in an experiment to test the accuracy of this method. First, specially trained sniffing dogs sniffed different sweat samples from passengers, then they checked the results against conventional tests. According to data,
“dogs in Finland and Lebanon have identified cases days before conventional tests picked up the virus, suggesting that they can spot infection before symptoms start”.
This was also confirmed by further studies. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, in collaboration with Durham University and the charity Medical Detection Dogs, found that
bio-detection dogs can smell if someone is infected with COVID-19 with an accuracy rate of 94%. (Other studies claim that this accuracy rate can reach even 98%.) Canines are also able to detect the signs of the virus even in the case of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic individuals.
Great demand for Hungarian dogs
The United Arab Emirates currently has 38 sniffer dogs working at its airports, including specially trained German Shepherds, Labradors, Cocker Spaniels, and Border Collies.
At one of the main airports in Abu Dhabi, the police are working with sniffer dogs that were trained in Hungary,
László Balázs, the president of the Pest County Search and Rescue Service, told Forbes. The dogs trained at this service have proved their ability in numerous Hungarian and foreign rescue operations – for example, during the search for survivors after earthquakes –, and there is a great demand for Hungarian sniffer dogs abroad.
Studies have shown that dogs are able to screen hundreds of people within an hour. Of course, researchers do not yet know exactly how long they can maintain this performance. In practice, individuals screened by dogs are still separated for further testing. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that
dogs could help to control the pandemic as they can screen people in busy places, such as airports or sports stadiums, faster and cheaper than conventional testing methods.
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.”
The coronavirus started spreading in 2019. Since then, states in each country took various precautions to curb the spread of the virus. The vaccine stopped the virus for a while. However, the emergence of new viral mutations is once again causing the pandemic to spread. Mandatory mask-wearing has re-emerged in Hungary.
Mandatory mask-wearing throughout Hungary
First of all, Gergely Gulyás spoke about the new measures at the government information on Thursday. Later, the official legislation appeared in the Hungarian Gazette.
The measures will take effect throughout Hungary from 1 November.
Napi.hu collected the most important information. From November, wearing masks is mandatory:
For travellers and workers on public transport, except for those who are under 6 years of age or have a psychosocial disability or autism.
For those at stations, trains stations, and stops.
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. 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.
Budapest measures
Gergely Karácsony, the Mayor of Budapest, announced the latest measures on Facebook. In the Hungarian capital, even stricter measures will be introduced, writes portfolio.hu.
It is mandatory to wear a mask in theatres, cinemas, and libraries.
In these places, the Hungarian capital’s leadership has the legal option of introducing mandatory mask-wearing. Mask-wearing refers to the interiors of the places listed above. Karácsony is also negotiating with the Hungarian government to order the general use of masks indoors due to worsening coronavirus data.
The Mayor of Budapest added that negotiations with the companies and institutions of the Budapest Municipality will begin. Employee representatives are also involved in the negotiations. The main topic of discussion will be which jobs in the public service will require vaccination against the coronavirus. According to Karácsony, such positions could be, for example, those working in a nursing home.
Thirty-seven patients died of a Covid-related illness in the past 24 hours, while 4,041 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Friday.
So far 5,950,259 people have received a first jab, while 5,731,651 have been fully vaccinated. Fully 1,191,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab.
The number of active infections stands at 34,780, while
hospitals are treating 2,130 Covid patients, 230 of whom need respiratory assistance.
Since the first outbreak, 863,419 infections have been registered, while
fatalities have risen to 30,729.
Fully 797,910 people have made a recovery.
There are 24,231 people in official quarantine, while 7,371,187 tests have been officially carried out.
As we wrote today morning, 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. Read details HERE.
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.
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.
The number of patients hospitalised as a result of coronavirus infection is steadily growing but it is lower than in the same period of last year, a top infectologist of the South Pest Central Hospital said on Tuesday.
János Szlávik told public news channel M1 that it is difficult to project the development of the epidemic because it is caused by the Delta variant of coronavirus which is significantly more infectious than previous variants. At the same time, he said the fourth wave was likely to peak in November or December.
Vaccination is now especially important because the vaccinated are much less likely to transmit the infection,
he said. Additionally, it provides 80-90 percent protection against severe illness from the infection, Szlávik said.
In response to a question about the need to reintroduce protective measures in Hungary, he said “something will certainly need to be done”.
Based on current epidemiological data, if the pandemic worsens, Hungary will have to take action following the example of other European countries, he said.
As we wrote last week, 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. Details HERE.
Forty-four patients died of a Covid-related illness in the past 24 hours, while 1,701 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Tuesday.
So far 5,941,073 people have received a first jab, while 5,721,531 have been fully vaccinated. Fully 1,120,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab.
The number of active infections stands at 25,775, while
hospitals are treating 1,685 Covid patients, 197 of whom need respiratory assistance.
Since the first outbreak, 852,214 infections have been registered, while
fatalities have risen to 30,611.
Fully 795,828 people have made a recovery.
There are 16,742 people in official quarantine, while 7,301,452 tests have been officially carried out.
As we wrote before, patients with Covid in Hungary are increasingly young and are less likely to have been vaccinated, read more HERE.
According to the latest survey by Kincentric, the overall level of employee engagement dropped globally in the second quarter of 2021, after just the opposite process taking place over the first wave of the pandemic – most likely due to the high degree of uncertainty.The predominant need for stability has now been replaced by the need for the greatest possible degree of flexibility, both globally and in Hungary.The pandemic has accustomed employees to moreflexible frameworks than usual in terms of location and work schedule, therefore employers who can provide sufficient level of flexibility are preferred – as it was highlighted at HR Fest conference in Budapest organized with WHC Group as the main sponsor.
At the event, Kincentric experts presented the results of their latest international survey. Based on their findings, the level of employee engagement fell significantly over the second quarter of 2021, reaching an average of 65%, the lowest rate since 2017. Another important finding is that 93% of employees would like to work on a flexible schedule and 56% would change jobs to be able to work in a more flexible way.
At the conference, the current role of HR within a company and how this may change in the future was also discussed.
Kornél Németh, Managing Director of Rossmann Magyarország Kft. explained that in his opinion the role of HR within the company is essential and it is worth managing the area at a strategic level. The coronavirus pandemic has also shown that HR is of key importance in change management, and this also applies to the management, integration and communication of continuous change due to digitalisation. In the same panel discussion, András Sávos, Vice President, Head of Digitization and Process Optimization at Knorr-Bremse drew attention to the fact that companies currently face two key human resources challenges globally – one is the gigantic fluctuation that has started as a result of the pandemic, and the other one is the question of how a company finds and retains talents (talent management).
According to the executive, HR has a key role to play in tackling both challenges. László Sabjányi, Managing Director of Wolt spoke about the fact that in their case the satisfaction of the company’s various interest groups- customers, catering partners, food couriers or employees – is the focal point.
Regarding the latter, the support provided by the HR department is of great importance. According to the executive, many areas of HR can be digitalised and automated, while strategy and favourable corporate culture should be based on people.
Recruitment and employment of workers arriving from a third country
HR Fest also focused on the recruitment and employment of foreign workers from non-EU countries.
This is a current topic right now since the government has taken steps to promote the employment of foreign labour within a strictly regulated framework as long as pandemic emergency measures are in force. Regulation 407/2021 (VII. 8.) about this entered into force on 1 September, which makes the employment of third-country workers subject to a strict qualification, among other things.
During the roundtable discussion on the topic, Alexandra Kitta, Head of the Recruitment Team of Samsung SDI Magyarország Zrt. explained that in their case three different cultures are mixed within the company – extremely successfully –, as besides Hungarian and Korean colleagues, the also employ Ukrainians. As far as the latter are concerned, they were typically hired to simpler assembly jobs in the past, but because the company provides every colleague with equal promotion opportunities, many of them are constantly advancing in the ranks as well, even into various management positions. Krisztina Nagy, Senior HR Manager and Site HR Business Partner of Flextronics International Kft. drew attention to the fact that in the case of Flextronics, a complex integration program has been implemented, helps the integration and proper performance of third-country workers not only through the transfer of key knowledge, but also with language courses, translators, awareness-raising and bilingualism.
Szilvia Gyarmati, Head of Manual Workforce Temporary Employment and Placement Services at WHC Group added that the company has gained significant experience in recruiting and placing third-country workers over the past five years – the company currently has a temporary workforce of nearly 4,000.
Based on this, it seems that foreigners coming to Hungary from non-EU countries are very ambitious, eager to work and sometimes even have a higher work ethic than Hungarian workers, and in general, Hungarian employers can rely on them in the long run.
Within the frameworks of HR Fest, the participants could attend a number of other exciting professional presentations and panel discussions on the domestic and international issues of human resources, such as recruitment, digitisation, fluctuation challenges, and well-being at work.
Seventy-five patients died of a Covid-related illness during the weekend in Hungary, while 6,688 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Monday.
So far 5,938,665 people have received a first jab, while 5,718,873 have been fully vaccinated. Fully 1,104,000 Hungarians have received a booster jab.
The number of active infections stands at 24,384, while hospitals are treating 1,588 Covid patients, 191 of whom need respiratory assistance.
Since the first outbreak, 850,513 infections have been registered, while
fatalities have risen to 30,567.
Fully 795,562 people have made a recovery.
There are 16,603 people in official quarantine,
while 7,290,223 tests have been officially carried out.
As we wrote on Friday, 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. Details HERE.
Also we wrote Hungarian COVID-19 medicine. You can read here ore information about the Hungarian coronavirus drug. Immunologist Imre Kacskovics helps clear up who will receive the medicine.
More information about the Hungarian coronavirus drug appeared in the program of InfoRádió. Immunologist Imre Kacskovics helps clear up who will receive the medicine.
Hungarian COVID medicine is on the way
Imre Kacskovics, the Dean of the Faculty of Science of Eötvös Loránd University, spoke to InfoRádió. He stated that clinical testing will begin in early 2023. Before that, they are performing animal experiments and toxicological tests, writes index.hu.
“We’ve been able to identify molecules that are new. They’re new in the sense that we think they’re patentable. And we’ve been able to detect these molecules and drugs in the summer to prevent the virus from infecting cells,” Kacskovics said.
Animal experiments are currently underway.
“We are very confident that these experiments will be successful and we will be able to select the molecule that we will take further through drug development.” With this, Kacskovics referred to what phases precede the clinical phase.
Clinical testing of the Hungarian drug will begin in 2023
The toxicological tests show whether the medicine prevents infection. It is also important to note that the drug does not cause any other illness.
The toxicological phase lasts for one year.
The immunologist said the drug resembled the antibody. So, people can use the Hungarian medicine for prevention. In other words, if someone is not protected by vaccinations, this Hungarian drug can help. Kacskovics stressed that protection by the drug will soon develop. It works as early as after 6-10 hours. Drug protection may last 3-4 months.
The drug is only an additional defence to vaccination.
So, the immunologist recommends the medication with an existing vaccine. It is primarily for those with a weaker immune system. The preparation of the drug is complicated. For this reason, only Richter Gedeon’s biotechnology plant can produce this new Hungarian medicine, writes portfolio.hu. The drug will be available intravenously or in the form of a nasal spray.
