Gergely Gulyás, Head of the Prime Minister's Office, said that because both Western and Eastern vaccines have been administered, Hungary’s vaccination plan is 1-2 months ahead of other European countries.
According to MTI, Gulyás said Hungary “leads the pack” with nearly 56 percent of adults inoculated. “Although restrictions regarding immunity certificates will remain in place until August, we may have a relatively normal summer,” he told a press briefing. Those who only accept Western vaccines will also be inoculated by end of June the latest, Gulyás said.
Five million people have registered for vaccination already, and another 260,000 people working in healthcare and law enforcement, as well as the residents of elderly care homes, have been vaccinated without registration. Meanwhile, social immunity is growing, along with falling caseload and fatality numbers, he said. However, the regulations in force will have to be observed until five million Hungarians have received their jabs, he said.
Regarding wage subsidies for companies suffering from the pandemic fallout, Gulyás said HUF 86.5 billion (EUR 241.7m) have already been disbursed. Companies have so far applied for HUF 87.1 billion in wage subsidies available until the end of May, he said.
In regards to the European Union’s recovery plan, Gulyás said the government trusted that the EU would quickly approve its plan for how to deploy the funds which the government submitted at the end of April. Relaunching the economy speedily is in the whole continent’s interest, he said.