“The government’s standpoint is clear: The jobs of Hungarian people must be protected; this is one of the cornerstones of the economic action plan,” Schanda said at the start of today’s press conference. Explaining how the wage support program works, the parliamentary state secretary said that employers must commit to not suspending an employee’s contract, while the employee carries out the work and remains available.
“The state will compensate for lost wages for up to three months,” Schanda said, adding that this support will help out hundreds of thousands of families and ensure the survival of many companies.
Addressing the latest developments of the coronavirus in Hungary, Chief Medical Officer Cecília Müller said that the number of confirmed cases currently stands at 2,649, while 291 have passed away so far. “Analyzing the curve of the epidemic, we can say that there is no significant increase. We hope to reach a stable situation soon, wherein the number of confirmed cases will cease to increase,” Müller said.
Meanwhile, Colonel Tibor Lakatos, head of the Operational Group, reported that 6.5 million pieces of protective gear are on their way to Hungary. This equipment will arrive soon to hospitals, ambulances and police officers around the country.