Covid immunity certificate/vaccine passport

A lot of vaccine certificates become invalid today in Hungary because of this change!

vaccination immunity certificate_hungary

After 1 May, the documents of unvaccinated people who obtained their immunity certificate by contracting the COVID-19 infection will lose their validity.

Vaccination card

As Népszava’s online portal reported, as of Sunday, only those who have been vaccinated will continue to have a valid immunity card. The name of the document will also change and will be called a vaccination card. Vaccination cards will be valid for six months after the second vaccination and will become definitive when the third vaccine is given.

As Helló Magyar reported, once issued, the cards will not need to be exchanged, and their validity will be electronically recorded in the Electronic Health Service Space (Egészségügyi Elektronikus Szolgáltatási Tér, EESZT) where it can be retrieved by a QR code on the card.

How many shots for validity?

If you become infected after two vaccinations, your certificate will remain valid for six months from then. For those vaccinated with the single-dose Janssen vaccine, a booster vaccine must also be given within 6 months for the card to remain valid.

For those under 18, one vaccine for the single-dose vaccine and two vaccines for a double-dose vaccine will be sufficient to achieve unlimited validity.

However, with the abolition of virtually all protection measures from 7 March 2022, the obligation to present an immunity certificate has mostly been abolished. In other words, there are currently no additional privileges attached to the immunity card. But this could change in the case of another wave of the pandemic.

Validity of other, already expired official documents

As Telex reported, documents, including identity cards, driving licences, passports, and registration permits, which have expired during the emergency caused by the coronavirus outbreak, will be valid for two more months, until 30 June, the Minister of State for Regional Administration of the Prime Minister’s Office said on Facebook on Saturday.

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Here is the crime map of Hungary – places you should and should not travel

police_hungary

Here is the crime map of the Hungarian countryside that shows which counties are the most dangerous to live in right now.

HelloVidék has looked at which counties have seen the most crime in the last year. On top of that, they also reported on the safest regions in the country.

As we can read in HelloVidék’s article, according to the data of KSH (Központi Statisztikai Hivatal – Hungarian Central Statistical Office), in 2021,

there has been an improvement in crime rates in a number of areas: there were fewer incidents of criminal mischief and fewer drunk drivers on the roads in Hungary.

Even though fewer people were caught with false documents, there were more people who owned forged documents. Presumably, the main reason for this was the introduction of immunity and vaccination cards. What is more, there was an increase in vandalism and fraud.

The classification of offences falls into the following statistical categories:

offences committed in public places, assault, theft, theft of a vehicle, lock-picking of a motor vehicle, burglary, criminal damage, robbery, criminal damage to property

The crime map of Hungary

map of crime
This map from police.hu shows the crime rates of each Hungarian county.

Explanation of terms (L–R) ranging from light to dark blue: Low infestation, Below average infestation, Average infestation, Above average infestation, High infestation

As the map demonstrates, Budapest is by far the most crime-ridden city.

The capital has the highest number of crimes per 100,000 inhabitants, with a total of 1,781 in the last year. In second place is the first rural county, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén. There, a total of 1,424 crimes were committed per 100,000 inhabitants in the last year.

In third and fourth places, in a tie, are the two counties of the North-Hungarian region, Heves and Nógrád counties.

While last year Tolna County, on the west bank of the river Danube, came third, the current data shows that even neighbouring Somogy County had more crimes than Tolna.

Hajdú-Bihar (731) is at the bottom of the list with a low infestation rate. Csongrád-Csanád follows with 809 recorded crimes. Békés county is also quite peaceful (885 crimes). More than 2.5 times more crimes (per 100,000 inhabitants) were registered in Budapest than in Hajdú-Bihar.

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EU COVID Certificate validity and travelling in the EU

eu traveling covid-19

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, people with valid vaccination certificates can travel freely and safely within the EU.

Europeans were again bashed with another requirement after the Council of the EU approved new rules regarding the validity of vaccination certificates.

When the EU Commission found that two doses of the vaccine were insufficient to protect against the virus, it advised all European countries to agree on a uniform acceptance period for vaccination certificates while declaring that the certificates be valid for 270 days.

As far as third-country nationals in the EU are concerned, many countries outside the EU are already participating in the EU COVID Certificate program through the EU Gateway.

New rules on the validity of EU digital COVID Certificate

Travellers within the European Union will have to submit vaccination certificates that are valid for nine months starting on February 1, 2022.

Vaccination certificates must be accepted by the Member States for a period of nine months after the last dose of the primary vaccination. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has a 270-day window starting with the day of the first and only injection. If it is a two-dose vaccine, it means 270 days from the second shot or the first and only shot after a person has recovered from a virus infection.

Member States should not impose different periods to be accepted for EU travel purposes. Certificates for booster doses are exempt from the standard acceptance period.

Vaccination certificates only used for travel within the EU are subject to these rules. When using the EU Digital COVID Certificate in a domestic context, Member States may apply different regulations, but they are encouraged to adhere to the EU-level acceptance period.

A person with an EU Digital COVID Certificate should not be subject to additional restrictions, such as quarantine or testing.

People who don’t have an EU Digital COVID Certificate should only be allowed to travel if they pass a pre or post-arrival test. Quarantine or self-isolation may also be required if they arrive from highly affected (dark red) regions.

Free movement restrictions must be non-discriminatory and proportionate. In principle, Member States should not deny entry to visitors from the other Member States.

Who is eligible for the EU digital COVID certificate?

All EU citizens and their immediate family members, also Non-EU citizens who legally reside in a Member State and possess the right to travel to the other Member States, can get the EU digital COVID certificate.

Recognition by the EU of COVID certificates issued by non-EU countries

Based on EU equivalence decisions, 35 non-EU countries (and territories) have joined the EU Digital COVID Certificate system. The EU accepts these 35 countries’ (and territories’) COVID certificates in the same way it accepts the EU Digital COVID Certificate. These 35 nations also recognise the EU Digital COVID Certificate.

Are unvaccinated citizens able to travel to another EU country?

EU citizens can travel more freely within the EU with the EU Digital COVID certificate. While free movement within the EU is a basic right, it is not a requirement. However, you may be subject to testing or quarantine if you don’t have a certificate. States have the authority to impose travel restrictions.

As a precautionary measure, the EU Digital COVID Certificate also includes test certificates and certificates for people who have recovered from COVID-19. In this way, everyone can utilise the EU Digital COVID Certificate.

Can non-EU citizens travel to the EU?

On February 22, 2022, the Council approved an updated framework, making it easier to travel to the EU. On March 1, 2022, Member States agreed to implement these changes.

Travellers from outside the EU who have received an EU or WHO-approved vaccine or have received a booster shot should be able to enter the EU under this policy if they received their final primary vaccination dose at least 14 days and no more than 270 days before arrival.

The EU Digital COVID Certificate or a non-EU COVID Certificate deemed equivalent to the EU Digital COVID Certificate should be sufficient proof for those who recovered from COVID-19 within 180 days before travelling to the EU.

Nationals from countries or territories on the list of countries from which all travels are permitted and who have proof of negative PCR tests should be able to enter the EU. The Council regularly updates a list of such countries based on an assessment of the health situation. Regardless of vaccination status, countries on this list should be able to travel to the EU.

In addition, EU citizens and residents, as well as their family members and those with a compelling reason to visit Europe, should be able to do so in the future.

Everything you need to know about Hungary’s new travel restrictions!

Hungarian workforce - Passport Travel Luggage

From 7 March 2022, the pre-pandemic situation in tourism will be restored, travellers will be able to enter Hungary freely once again, without restrictions, and they will no longer need a test or vaccination certificate. According to experts, this could be a competitive advantage for Hungarian tourism in the next period.

The pre-pandemic system is being restored

A government decree abolishing protective measures against the coronavirus pandemic was published on Friday, revealing that the government would repeal the previous border control measures introduced from autumn 2020 onwards.

On Thursday, at the traditional press conference of the Hungarian Government, it was announced that the restrictions related to the epidemic, which were still in force, would be lifted by the end of the fifth wave of the epidemic, and the use of the immunity certificate would be abolished as well.

The abolition of entry restrictions in practice means that you will be free to enter Hungary again from Monday, March 7.

As before the pandemic, there will no longer be a need for vaccination or recovery certificates or PCR tests. Hungary’s land borders have been open without restrictions to those who came from neighbouring countries since June last year, but air travellers to Budapest or Debrecen and other possible smaller airports have had to prove their protection against the virus until now – this will be abolished from Monday.

Competitive advantage over rivals

Experts of the tourism industry say that the abolition of entry restrictions in Hungary could boost Budapest’s city trips, have a positive impact on festival and event tourism, and reduce the potential negative effects of the war in neighbouring Ukraine on Hungarian tourism.

It is an amazing pleasure for the travel profession that, after almost two years, it is possible to receive guests in Hungary again without restrictions, say the representatives of the profession in an article on turizmus.com. With this step, Hungary could find itself in a competitive position compared to those countries that continue to tie entries to a Covid-19 Vaccination Certificate. 

You don’t need a mask anymore, the restrictions on events will also be lifted

As we wrote in our previous article, the obligation to wear a mask will also be lifted from Monday, and any restrictions that apply to events will be removed, too. Previously, larger mass events could only be attended with an immunity certificate, now, sporting events, cultural events, major music and dance events are open to everyone again.

However, the vaccination certificate system is not fully phased out, as they are still in use in most of the EU, says vg.hu.

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Finally, Hungarian baths can be visited without an immunity certificate!

The culture of Budapest’s Spas is world-famous, millions of people visit these spas every year. Before Covid, in 2019 there were a total of 5 million visitors in the various spas of Budapest, and since then however that number has fallen, there are still millions of visitors a year. Of course, these visitors include Hungarian tourists, families looking to relax, and elderly people seeking treatment.

But at the same time, you can find people from all over the world as well. However, since the beginning of the Covid virus, the Budapest Spas have been closed and reopened, again and again, fortunately, they have been constantly open since the spring of 2021, and no change is expected now. From the spring of 2021, when the European vaccination program was launched, it was only possible to visit the Budapest baths by presenting an immunity certificate.

Change is coming from now on

However, from March 1, 2022, the spas in Budapest can be visited even without a protection certificate, says travelo.hu with a reference to the spas’ website.

It is important to mention, that the Gellért Spa is still open to the public, even though the Hotel has been closed for some time due to a refurbishment.

The spas of the Budapest Spa open their doors to those who do not have a security certificate. The following spas are now open to the public:

  • Gellért Spa
  • Széchenyi Spa
  • Dandár Spa
  • Rudas Spa
  • Paskál Spa
  • Pesterzsébet Spa
  • Lukács Spa
  • Palatinus Spa
  • Árpád Csillaghegyi Spa

However, Aquaworld and Csepel Bath are not managed by this company, so a valid certificate of protection is still required for these baths. Among the larger baths in Budapest, the Dagály Bath is also not operated by the same company, but no protection certificate has been requested here yet.

Most of the Covid rules will be abolished

Incidentally, most of Covid’s regulations will be repealed from Monday 7 next week, virtually no restrictions or regulations will be in place from now on, virtually no mask will be worn anywhere outside of hospitals, and all events will be open without an immunity certificate, and no other Covid rule remains in effect.

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Read alsoBreaking: Hungary to abolish almost all restrictions from next Monday!

COVID situation in Hungary: fewer than 4,000 new infections

Hungary coronavirus

Altogether 77 patients died of a Covid-related illness over the past 24 hours, while 3,862 new coronavirus infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Thursday.

So far 6,395,509 people have received a first jab, while 6,171,552 have been double-jabbed. Fully 3,813,406 Hungarians have received a booster shot.

The number of active infections went down to 142,456, while hospitals are treating 3,120 Covid-19 patients, 126 of whom are intubated on a ventilator.

Since the first outbreak, 1,796,982 have been registered with the virus, while 44,211 deaths have been recorded. Fully 1,610,315 people have made a recovery.

Justice Court Igazság Bíróság Legal Rights
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Long queues for passports in Hungary, people started to buy foreign currencies

People standing in queue

Many people stood in long queues at the doors of the government offices yesterday. The waiting time was already hours for those who arrived at the opening of the offices. Many people would gladly pay 104 EUR to get their passport in 24 hours. Furthermore, people started to buy up foreign currencies.

Does everybody want a passport in Hungary?

According to napi.hu, people keep saying that everybody should have a valid passport and low-denomination foreign currency banknotes since Russia attacked Ukraine. The war is far from the borders of Hungary yet. However, many Hungarians already decided to collect all their necessary belongings, provided they had to flee their homes. Therefore, people stood in long queues at the doors of the government offices yesterday. One of the readers told napi.hu that they had to wait hours to submit their request for a passport.

The same happened in many government offices in Budapest yesterday. Forty people waited to enter the building of the Central Administration Office on Visegrádi street. Many of them stood in the queue with children. Only one or two wanted to prolong their expired documents, while some lost their documents.

But most of them wanted a new passport.

A Hungarian passport valid for five years costs 20 EUR. For 40 EUR, it will be valid for 10 years. However, the normal process of getting it takes eight days. If somebody wants it urgently, they have to pay an additional fee. Reducing the waiting time to 5 days costs 50 EUR. To receive a new passport in three days, you need to pay 77 EUR. 104 EUR, in addition, means you can have your new passport in 24 hours. There were a lot who opted for this last option – napi.hu said. A co-worker at one of the Central Administration Offices welcomed clients at 8 am saying that

they should expect 3-4 hours waiting time.

The same happened in the office of the 12th district yesterday. There, 14-15 people waited in the queue. One of them told napi.hu that he was not afraid of the war, but it is good to have a passport. In the Attila út office in Budapest,  there were already 20-22 clients waiting at 8 am. Interestingly, 4-5 young families with children waited hours for a photo ID.

Hungarians buying up foreign currency

The business has been skyrocketing in the currency exchange market since the start of the Russian invasion. Some customers would like to exchange their EUR or USD to forint because the Hungarian currency is rapidly losing its value. 

Others arrive to buy foreign currency. They want to buy dollars, Euro, Swiss franc or GBP.

There is no panic among Hungarians, but the tension is palpable. Furthermore, currency exchanges still have enough money in store. Hungarians have not exchanged fortunes yet. The trend shows that everybody would like to get their hands on some euro or dollar banknotes.

 

People standing in queue
Read alsoLong queues for passports in Hungary, people started to buy foreign currencies

Important changes! Hungary’s immunity certificate to be limited to the inoculated

Védettségi Igazolvány Immunity Certificate Plastic Card

From May 1, Hungarians will only be eligible for a Covid immunity certificate if they are fully inoculated against the coronavirus, the Government Information Centre (KTK) said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the KTK cited a recent government announcement that

the validity of immunity certificates will be extended for those who have received two vaccine doses until May 1, rather than Feb 15 as originally planned.

The government decree on the new rule will soon be published in the official gazette Magyar Közlöny, they added.

The KTK noted that

the certificates that had been issued to those who have recovered from the virus will no longer be valid from May 1.

Also, the validity of the immunity certificates will be limited to people who had their second Covid jab no more than six months earlier or had their booster jab, it said.

The validity of document will not expire for those who have received a booster shot.

Those who received the single-dose Janssen jab will also need to get a booster shot within six months after their first dose in order for their immunity certificate to remain valid.

Read also: 

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Hungary, Andorra to mutually honour immunity certificates

Péter Szijjártó Andorra

Hungary and Andorra have agreed to mutually recognise each other’s Covid immunity certificates, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in a post on Facebook on Sunday.

From January 25, Andorra will honour Hungarian immunity certificates, regardless of the type of vaccine with which cardholders have been inoculated, Szijjártó said.

Hungary has reached bilateral agreements with 28 countries on the mutual recognition of Covid immunity certificates, so far, he added.

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Important details revealed about the Hungarian vaccination card – official decree

immunity certificate hungary

After the booster shot, the vaccination card will be valid indefinitely.

Vaccination card instead of immunity card

On 13 January, Gergely Gulyás, the Head of the Prime Minister’s Office, announced at the Cabinet briefing (Kormányinfó) that the current immunity card will turn into a vaccination card from 15 February. The government decree on the vaccination card was later published in Magyar Közlöny.

As Telex reported, from that day on, only the ones who are vaccinated will have a valid card, the Government Information Centre (GIC) said in a statement. According to GIC,

“Unvaccinated people will not be eligible for a vaccination card. Any current immunity certificate that was issued for contracting the infection will lose its validity.”

Validity of the card

The card will be valid for six months after the second dose, after which the validity will be extended only after the third (booster) shot. If someone becomes infected after the second vaccination, their card will be valid for six months from the date of the confirmation of the infection.

After the third (booster) vaccination, the validity of the card will be indefinite. For those vaccinated with the single-dose Janssen (Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine), there will be a separate rule.

They must take the second vaccination (which is the booster shot in their case) within 6 months for the card to remain valid.

For those under 18 years of age, one jab for the single-dose vaccine and two jabs for the double-dose vaccine are sufficient for the immunity card to remain valid.

There will be no need to replace the current immunity cards, the QR code will be used to check the validity of the document. The GIC also emphasises in its statement that operators of sites and organisers of events that are only accessible to vaccinated persons must check the vaccination cards.

Fake vaccination certificates

Even though these certificates are important in making sure that everyone has taken the necessary measures to stay safe in the COVID situation, some people resort to trying to obtain fake vaccination cards.

What is even sadder is that some doctors assist in it.

As we wrote in one of our previous articles, doctors had started to take part in these illegal activities, as well as asking for great amounts of money from these “customers”. Thankfully, the Hungarian police managed to track down those who have taken part in issuing fake vaccination certificates.

coronavirus in hungary hospital
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French, Serbian handball players dissatisfied with Hungarian Covid rules

Karabatic

The players gave short interviews to French newspaper Le Figaro, and just like last summer, the football players complained about their hotel and Hungarian Covid rules, so did handball players now.

Covid regulations and problems

Several members of the French national handball team were outraged by the local epidemiological rules after arriving in Hungary. Three-time Olympic and four-time world champion Nikola Karabatić, who was chosen as the best player in the world three times, complained that after Christmas and New Year’s Eve, time that they spent separated from their families (to prepare for the European Championship and not to catch Covid), they had to mix with unmasked guests in their hotel in Hungary where they could not even get separate meals from the other guests.

The goalkeeper of the national team, Vincent Gérard, was surprised by the Hungarian situation, compared to the measures of the two big 2021 handball tournaments, the Tokyo Olympics and the Egyptian World Cup. “It’s not necessarily respectful to players and staff members who really tried their best and worked really hard to arrive in a healthy condition,” reports hvg.hu about what the player said.

Federal Captain Guillaume Gille expressed a similar position of how he did not find it acceptable that there was such a difference between the rules of the international federation and those of the host country. However, Kentin Mahé, the French player of Veszprém, was not surprised by the Hungarian situation: “Knowing Hungary, I was not surprised. We know that the Hungarian government will make decisions later than its neighbours. Why? I don’t know, I’m not a politician.”

Last year, the French footballers also complained to the media

This is the second time in a short span of time that French teams came to Hungary because of the European Championship and did not like something. Last summer, the national football team was dissatisfied with the accommodation in Budapest as it was not luxurious enough for them.

That time, Hungary played a draw against the French team. You can see our article about the game in the Puskás Arena Budapest here: 

At the Hungarian-Slovak European Handball Championship, the French Olympic champions will be grouped with Croats, Ukrainians, and Serbs and will play all three matches in Szeged.

The Serbian coach on Twitter

Toni Gerona, the Spanish coach of the Serbian team, also complained. He wrote a Twitter post stating that the Hotel’s guests are in the same area as the players, the teams were not tested on time, several players have already become infected, posing the question: how could they play like this?

The Handball Association replied

The Hungarian Handball Association (MKSZ) responded to the objections of the French national team in a statement. They are stating that the European Championship is organised according to the regulations of the European Handball Association (EHF).

“Delegations from all participating countries have already visited the four-star hotels in the autumn, and no problems have been raised since then. In addition, the current legislation and the Covid protocol required by the EHF have been known to everyone and are being followed in the host countries,”

they write. MKSZ also adds that the organisers of the European Championship provided detailed information to the teams and gave thorough answers to all the questions that arose, which were accepted by everyone.

“We are puzzled by the statement of the French and Serbs. If there are still legitimate needs in the future, we are able and willing to settle them, and the appropriate contacts are available,”

says MKSZ, according to Telex.hu.

The Euro Championship starts on the 13th of January. There are three locations in Hungary: Budapest, Debrecen, and Szeged. The largest new handball arena in Budapest was recently completed, you can read more about that here.

The Szeged Arena was also completed recently. Pictures HERE!

12 people received six doses of a Covid vaccine in a Budapest hospital

Vaccination Koronavírus Coronavirus Covid Hungary Vaccine Oltás

Not so long ago, our portal reported that many people wanted to acquire a Hungarian immunity certificate without receiving any vaccine or getting infected with the coronavirus.

In that article, it surfaced that in many cases, nurses or doctors were involved in the fraud and made a lot of money illegally by creating fake immunity certificates.

If you are interested, you can read more about it in THIS article, as well as HERE.

The pandemic has been rampaging through the world since early 2020, and this has put a huge strain on many healthcare workers worldwide. The strain on Hungarian healthcare workers is probably even worse as approximately 40,000 people died from Covid in Hungary.

However, a stressed-out and tired staff leads to mistakes. This is exactly what happened a few months back in one of the hospitals in Budapest.

Multiple doses at once

According to Blikk, approximately 12 people could have received a dose several times larger than the recommended vaccine dose during the previous vaccination period.

24 reported that the incident happened at the Gottsegen National Cardiovascular Centre in Budapest where a staff member forgot to dilute the ampoules of the vaccine they used.

It is important to note that every ampoule contains doses of vaccines for several people and that healthcare workers need to add a special liquid to it to dilute the substance.

read also: It’s official: the fifth wave started in Hungary, nr of infections rise

However, in approximately 12 cases, this step was accidentally omitted, and a dozen people received six doses of the vaccine.

The National Healthcare Service Centre sent an answer to the inquiry of 24 about the case in which they stated that the necessary measures have been taken and they are continuing to monitor the health of the 12 people who have been affected.

Fortunately, there is no suspicion of any health damage, only the normal reaction to the vaccine.

Other similar cases

The news portal also reported that this was not the first case to have happened. Last May, a GP accidentally gave an entire ampoule of vaccine to a man in Szombathely, but he has had no health complications since.

However, similar cases have happened all over the world, such as in Germany, Italy, Australia, and the US. During their testing, Pfizer studied the consequences of receiving a high dose of the Covid vaccine but have found no signs of health damage.

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This is where you need a Covid certificate to party on New Year’s Eve in Hungary

Fireworks New Years Eve

New Year’s Eve is quickly approaching. There are only a few days left until the big event when we say goodbye to the old year and welcome in 2022 with a loud bang. But the fact that the coronavirus is still with us, it makes things a little more complicated than usual. Are you wondering for which events you need to produce a vaccination certificate? Find the answers below.

Hungary is relatively lax, considering the emergence of the new Omicron variant, but that also means that more restaurants and hotels can hold New Year’s Eve events. Although restaurants and hotels can normally welcome guests without restrictions or vaccination certificates, you still need to wear your mask when going to public places, but only until your food or drink arrives.

However, as a party can attract more people to a single location than regular restaurant dinners, you can face a few additional restrictions.

Hence, many restaurants and catering units have asked the Hungarian Hotel & Restaurant Association (HH&RA) to help them understand the exact restrictions.

According to Turizmus.com, the Hungarian Hotel & Restaurant Association (HH&RA) has written an inquiry to the Hungarian Department of the Interior to help shed light on the exact restrictions concerning New Year’s Eve parties.

Turizmus.com reported that the Hungarian authorities’ answer was the following:

Dance or concert events

If the main attraction of the New Year’s Eve event the restaurant or hotel holds involves partying and dancing, or listening to a concert, then by law, it is considered a “music and dance event” and have the following restrictions.

It is mandatory to have a vaccination certificate for

  • anyone who visits an event at an accommodation where dancing or listening to a concert is the main attraction, even if it is combined with a dinner, regardless of whether they are staying guests or just there for the event
  • anyone who visits a dinner at a restaurant that is combined with dancing or actively/purposefully listening to a concert

regardless of the size of the event or the number of guests.

Dinner events with live performance

According to Turizmus.com; however, if the main attraction of the event is a dinner, combined with live music or some other form of stage performance in which guests do not actively take part, then only the restrictions of a regular restaurant dinner are in place.

It is NOT mandatory to have a vaccination certificate for

  • anyone who visits an event at an accommodation where a seated dinner is taking place without dancing, even if there is a live performance of any kind (live music, comedian, magician, etc.)
  • anyone who visits a restaurant with an event similar in kind to the one mentioned right above.

You should also keep in mind that restaurants and hotels or other forms of accommodation can have their own safety precautions. We have only included some general rules; therefore, it is always worth getting informed about the event you are about to attend or contacting the establishment beforehand if you have any doubts.

The team of Daily News Hungary wishes all of you a Happy New Year!

CORRUPTION – Hungarian doctor issued fake vaccination certificates

Hungarian doctor issued fake vaccination certificates

In one of our previous articles, we have reported that more and more people were trying to obtain fake vaccination certificates to avoid getting the jab in Hungary.

Since the introduction of the epidemiological restrictions, attempts to get away with the regulations have been widely present in the domestic criminal sphere. Recently, even official doctors have begun to take part in these illegal activities, therefore, it has become harder for the authorities to track down the perpetrators. Hence, the number of people illegally acquiring vaccination certificates has also risen.

However, the Hungarian police cracked down on two nurses who sold fake vaccination certificates for more than 90 individuals for a price as low as €134 for a single counterfeit document.

Thanks to a report, the Hungarian police tracked down another trio of criminals selling fake certificates in Budapest. They allegedly had thirteen customers.

Read also: Selling Fake vaccine certificates is a booming business in Hungary – VIDEO

According to Origo, the police have also found a small-scale illegal business run by a doctor. The other members included her assistant and a beautician who worked as a middleman taking care of the supply and finances between the patients and the healthcare workers.

The customers did not even have to go to the doctor’s office; the beautician took their appropriate IDs and dropped them off at the doctor’s office along with the money.

Then, as 24.hu writes, the assistant uploaded their data to the healthcare system and issued the fake vaccination certificates to a total of 13 people, to some for a price as low as HUF 100,000 (EUR 278).

Hungarian doctor issued fake vaccination certificates
Phoro: police.hu

Read also: Virus-denying Hungarian tried to smash ambulance car

As part of the investigation, the Hungarian police department ordered the search of the three women’s home and the doctor’s office. They have confiscated a total of HUF 4, 220, 000 (EUR 11,723) and additional EUR 580, along with electronic devices, blank immunity certificates as well as other medical papers.

The police interrogated the 60-year-old doctor and her 45-year-old assistant as well as the 42-year-old beautician as prime suspects.

The doctor and her assistant are accused of thirteen cases of counterfeiting medical documents and seven cases of accepting bribes, while the beautician is accused of nine cases of assisting the prime suspects misusing medical documents and one case of bribery.

The prime suspects are not detained and can protect themselves freely.

coronavirus (2)
Read alsoCrazy things people do for a fake vaccine certificate

Selling Fake vaccine certificates is a booming business in Hungary – VIDEO

eu covid passport2

In the case of Hungary, fake vaccine certificates are cheaper than ever.

In August 2021, Euronews wrote that a fake certificate costs 100,000-200,000 forints (EUR 272-544). In July, three women were caught in Budapest selling fake certificates for EUR 164. In November, a 41-year-old nurse and her 47-year-old accomplice helped around 90 people get fake certificates for EUR 134, Daily News Hungary previously wrote.

Now, the price is astonishingly low. While months ago, a fake certificate cost their monthly wage for some people, nowadays, a fake document does not cost more than pocket money.

On December 16, police.hu wrote that proceedings have started against unknown perpetrators. They got involved in bribery and issuing or providing fake covid certificates. Investigators interrogated 24 people as suspects, 2 of whom were detained.

The police accuse two nurses working at a rural hospital of 27 briberies and 27 forged public documents. One of the accused people is a 36-year-old man, another is a 45-year-old woman. The police investigated for months and interrogated another 22 people. One of them is a healthcare worker in a leading position.

read also: Crazy things people do for a fake vaccine certificate

The two nurses sold fake certificates for 20,000 (EUR 54) and 40,000 forints (EUR 108).

They changed the documentation of these people to say that they had taken the vaccine, but did not give them the jab. This activity went on for months. Selling these fake vaccine certificates became a source of regular income for the two nurses. Now, the police asked the Komárom-Esztergom County Prosecutor’s Office to make a motion for their arrest.

The case is not unique, however. News about general practitioners and nurses selling fake documents is nothing new. Rumours about which doctor or nurse gives out fake certificates, where they can be found, and how much money they ask for in return are spreading among people.

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The interesting part of this case is not how common this new “business” has become but the fact that, at first, people had to pay EUR 272-544, but now, it costs only 54-108 euros to get a false document.

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Read alsoHungarian Covid restrictions in detail — Beware of fake immunity certificates

Crazy things people do for a fake vaccine certificate

coronavirus (2)

People go the extra mile to get a vaccine certificate without taking the jab. Here are the most creative tricks so far.

Some people just simply refuse to take the vaccine while others wait for their preferred jab to become available. And then there are those creative and irresponsible people who go the extra mile to avoid the jab. This group would do whatever it takes to enjoy the best of both worlds with a fake certificate. One thing, however, is important to consider. These people have the false belief that they can get away with a fake plastic card or QR code but it does not even cross their mind that they can get severely ill. Even though a fake plastic card does provide more freedom, it does not offer any protection against the virus.

But what extreme measures have people taken so far to get the fake certificate?

There is a list of examples. A man in New Zealand received 10 doses of the vaccine after he got paid by others to take the jab instead of them. In the Netherlands, a man sold vials containing the alleged coronavirus on the internet. According to the advertisement, customers could receive the viruses and then get a certificate. The price was about EUR 33 and it allegedly contained all the mutations and variants of the virus. In Italy, a dentist walked into the hospital with an artificial arm to get the vaccine. The nurse naturally discovered the trick and the doctor had to face serious consequences. Eventually, he did take the jab and encouraged others to follow his example of getting vaccinated for real. In Germany, a nurse of the Red Cross gave saline injections instead of the vaccine.- writes Magyar Nemzet.

In the case of Hungary, selling fake vaccine certificates has proven to be a booming business.

In August 2021, Euronews wrote that a fake certificate costs 100,000-200,000 forints (EUR 272-544). In July, three women were caught in Budapest for selling fake certificates for EUR 164. In November, a 41 years old nurse and her 47 years old accomplice helped around 90 people get false certificates for EUR 134.

The price of the fake immunity certificate has seemingly dropped, but the demand is as high as ever. The number of sellers has increased by 257 % since the beginning of 2021. People mainly use WhatsApp or Telegram to sell and buy these false documents. There are about 2,500 groups for such activities. Buyers can pay with crypto currency, but Amazon and eBay gift vouchers are also accepted.

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Orbán cabinet is reviewing the deadline for the expiry of immunity certificates

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The government is examining whether or not to declare Covid-19 immunity certificates as expired six or seven months after the date of the second vaccination, but has taken no decision yet, Antal Rogán, the cabinet chief, said during his annual hearing in parliament’s economic committee on Monday.

Thanks to its vaccination drive, Hungary was the first to relaunch the country, Rogán said.

“It is now a priority that as many people as possible take up a booster jab which is the only way to prevent or flatten the curve of a fifth wave of the coronavirus epidemic,” he said.

To help attain this goal, the government will launch further national coronavirus vaccination campaigns next month and in January, Rogán said, adding that additional “personal campaigns” were also planned in cooperation with health authorities.

“A booster jab is all the more important because most people got inoculated by the end of June and these vaccines lose much of their effectiveness in preventing infection after four to six months,”

he said.

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Read also Hungary to produce Chinese Sinopharm vaccines!

Hungary joins restrictions on travellers from southern Africa over new Covid variant

Travel Restrictions

Hungary is joining a host of other countries in restricting air travel from the southern African region in an effort to contain a highly mutated variant of the coronavirus identified there, the Government Information Centre (KTK) said on Saturday.

The Council of the European Union on Friday debated response measures to the newly-identified B.1.1.529 South African coronavirus variant and recommended pulling an “emergency brake” and imposing temporary restrictions on non-essential travel from southern Africa. Member states agreed on the need for the introduction of restrictions.

The Council proposed requiring travellers from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe to be tested for coronavirus and quarantined upon arrival in the EU.

Hungary has started preparing its own response measures, KTK said, adding that the government is expected to issue a decree in the matter later.

Egypt and Maldives to honour Hungarian immunity certificates

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

Under the government decree published in the official gazette Magyar Közlöny on Saturday afternoon, Hungarian nationals who arrive from southern Africa or have visited the region in the two weeks prior to returning home will have to quarantine for a period of 14 days.

The restrictions apply to arrivals from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Hungarians returning from the region will be required to enter a designated or official home quarantine regardless of whether or not they are suspected of having contracted the virus.

The decree bans entry to all non-Hungarian citizens from the region with the exception of those given special permission by the authorities. Foreign nationals given permission to enter are still required to quarantine for a full 14 days even if they produce a negative PCR test.

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Read alsoHungarian Covid restrictions in detail — Beware of fake immunity certificates