Hungary needs a domestic plant that can start producing a Hungarian vaccine on its own at the end of 2022 so as to “protect the life and health of Hungarians”,

László György of the innovation and technology ministry told the online press conference of the operative board in charge of coronavirus epidemic response.

The Hungarian government decided early on, just before the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic, to make preparations for setting up a domestic vaccination plant in the country’s second largest city, György said.

The state secretary highlighted the economic benefits of a domestic vaccine plant, noting the possibility of vaccine exports to the global market.

Hungary records 64 Coronavirus fatalities, 382 new infections

Fully 64 patients, generally elderly with co-morbidities, died over the past 24 hours, while 382 new infections were registered, koronavirus.gov.hu said on Tuesday.

So far 4,714,992 people have received a first jab, while 2,749,235 have been fully vaccinated.

The number of active infections has declined to 128,714, while hospitals are treating 2,197 Covid patients, 251 of whom need respiratory assistance.

Since the first outbreak, 798,955 infections have been registered, while fatalities have risen to 29,277.

Fully 640,964 people have made a recovery.

There are 16,088 people in official quarantine, while 5,656,131 tests have been officially carried out.

DK calls on gov’t to pay for PCR tests for recipients on non-EU approved jabs

The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) demands that the government should pay for the cost of PCR tests to Hungarians who wish to travel to countries that refuse to accept non-European Union approved coronavirus vaccines.

DK spokesman Balázs Barkóczi told an online press conference on Monday that despite the government’s promises, Hungarian vaccination plastic cards are not sufficient for travelling to Croatia and Austria made it clear on Sunday that they do not accept eastern vaccines.

Hungarians who received either a Chinese or a Russian vaccine will not be eligible to get Austria’s “Green Card” which is required to use hotels, restaurants and pools in the country, he added.

Such persons must present a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours or an anti-gene test not older than 48 hours in order to get access to such services in Austria, Barkóczi said.

Nobody should suffer disadvantage because of the “government’s failure”, Barkóczi said and added that the cabinet should bear the extra costs of tests.

He also called on the government to “apologise for misleading Hungarians when it said they would be eligible to use every services even if inoculated with a Chinese vaccine”.


MTI Photo: Zsolt Czeglédi