No one should organise holidays abroad after 1 September, in particular not to the Southern countries, the Minister in Hungary said, stressing that resuming education is essential for maintaining the country’s operations, and this requires us to prevent a rise in the number of infections.
From the first of September, due to the coronavirus pandemic, it will be necessary to introduce more stringent disease control regulations than in effect at present; the Operational Group will make recommendations regarding these at next week’s cabinet meeting, Gergely Gulyás, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office announced at a Governmentinfo press conference.
He said in most countries around Europe the situation is deteriorating, the epidemic situation is only stagnating in a few countries, and these trends have an impact on the Hungarian numbers at a delay of a few weeks, meaning that the easing of travel restrictions is out of the question.
He added that the government had moved Norway from the yellow category to the green zone as its most recent indicators were among the best in Europe.
Government Spokesperson Alexandra Szentkirályi indicated that the disease control deployment unit had been set up and started its operation; the government heard the Interior Minister’s report on this.
It is the duty of the unit to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus epidemic by localising infection epicentres.
The unit is headed by the deputy of the Chief Medical Officer.
It is further the duty of the unit to coordinate the work of cooperating organisations in order for them to use the available resources with maximum efficiency.
In justified cases, the unit has the authority to impose restrictive measures locally, she explained.
In answer to questions, Mr Gulyás said the latest European infection data shows that the government will be required to introduce more stringent disease control measures in a week’s time, and therefore no one can responsibly organise trips abroad extending beyond 1 September.
He stressed they appreciate that the cancellation of pre-booked trips abroad could cause difficulties; at the same time, the cabinet must pay attention to the health and well-being of the whole of society as well as to the availability of appropriate conditions for the fight against the epidemic when they adopt the rules relating to travel.
Hungarian nationals will always be able to return to Hungary, he added.
Answering questions concerning the disease control protocol of the Ministry of Human Capacities, he said the document contains very important and good recommendations; at the same time, it also contains some unrealistic advice which should be reconsidered in order to maintain the integrity of the document as a whole.
He stressed that during the first wave of the coronavirus epidemic there was a need for the implementation of stringent restrictions in order to gain time for the health care system; today, however, health care is fully prepared, and with regard to this, they would like to start and finish the next school year in the normal teaching system.
Mr Gulyás said if a coronavirus vaccine with medically proven effectiveness appears on the market, Hungary will immediately buy a fixed quantity of it, and he cannot imagine that there would be any patient who would be unable to afford it due to their financial circumstances. He added that the cabinet would not like to change the practice of testing which has proved to be effective so far. ■