Viktor Orbán said that "people would no longer be able to tolerate further austerity. Now is a good chance to reopen schools, ”he added.

He also said there is a strong link between obesity and the severe course of diabetes and the disease.

There is also a big problem in the service sector due to the current situation, he added. If we can restart the economy, next year will be a strong and plentiful year.

Viktor Orbán said that half of the capacity of the beds equipped with a ventilator had not yet been reached, and the same was true for hospital beds.

The main question is whether there are enough people. The prime minister said hospital directors were prepared and all hospitals were under secure control.

Earlier: 

“We are close to the peak of the third wave of the coronavirus epidemic, and according to the data it is not yet time to ease restrictions,” announced the Minister in Charge of the PM's Office on Thursday, 18 March.

“Much depends on people’s willingness to get vaccinated, and compliance with pandemic regulations in terms of opening time, it also depends on whether there will be a fourth wave,” Gergely Gulyás continued at Thursday’s weekly Kormányinfo press conference

The Minister said that preparations for a gradual re-opening could start slowly, adding that PM Orbán will announce the plans and possible new steps tomorrow in his regular Kossuth Radio interview.

The third wave of epidemics will surely peak by the end of March, after which the government expects a radical decline, Gulyás stated, saying that according to the government's hopes, the Hungarian population will mostly be vaccinated by May-June. Until then he said the government envisages a multi-stage re-opening.

He also said that the national consultation about lifting restrictions would close at 8 pm on Thursday evening, and its results would be announced at the end of the week, adding that the Government is confident we are close to starting the re-opening, which will be decided on the basis of the results of the consultation.

“Right now it is not yet time to relax, vaccination must be continued, so we will get vaccine from wherever possible. We are among the best in Europe in terms of vaccination, but now the most important thing is for everyone to comply with epidemiological rules, so we can reduce the number of cases, and if that succeeds, a third wave will quickly recede,” he said.

Presenting the latest news about the vaccination process in Hungary, the minister said the number of people vaccinated was 1,441,706, those with a second vaccination being 421,915.

Gulyás also reported that they are negotiating vaccine purchases with everyone and may enter into additional contracts.

With regard to AstraZeneca, he emphasized that according to the World Health Organization it is a reliable vaccine, and that this vaccine provides good protection and no complications.

Gulyás strongly encouraged everyone to wear a mask in the weeks ahead in accordance with the rules, after which it will be possible to re-open again all being well.


MTI Photo: Szilárd Koszticsák