In his regular Friday morning interview, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán listed the latest, declining coronavirus figures for Hungary. The number of active infections fell to 64,000, with only 269 new cases of COVID and 26 pandemic-related fatalities. Meanwhile, the prime minister revealed that 11,858 Hungarians were inoculated with their first dose of a vaccine yesterday, while more than 80,000 received their second dose.
“We can vaccinate everyone at least twice if needed,” PM Orbán said, declaring that “We have vaccine security in Hungary.” The prime minister added that “54 percent of the population has already received the first dose, and 38 percent are fully vaccinated.”
Comparing the COVID situation in Hungary to the countries of Western Europe, the prime minister said that “when we are talking about the European situation, we must make sure to mention that in many countries, movement restrictions are still in effect.”
“We must not commit the mistake of thinking that they are at the same stage as Hungary, for we are well ahead,” the PM said.
Speaking about a potential vaccination campaign to inoculate those between 12 and 15, PM Orbán said that although he is one of “the more cautious ones,” the government does not want to rule out the possibility for parents to vaccinate their children in this age range. “I expect the Hungarian scientific community to reach a consensus on this question by the end of the summer,” PM Orbán said.
“Individual responsibility is now in focus,” the prime minister said, adding that the Hungarian government has so far done everything it can to ensure that more and more people get the vaccine. “The Hungarian healthcare system has performed at an excellent level,” the PM said.
Marking the 101st anniversary of the signing of the infamous Treaty of Trianon, which stripped Hungary of two-thirds of its territory and half of its population, Prime Minister Orbán confirmed that today we are “doing better” in terms of national cohesion than we were 11 years ago, as “we have transformed the day when we lost our country into the Day of National Cohesion.”