Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Hungary’s current, strict coronavirus-related restrictions will be kept in place until January 11.
Following a meeting of the operative board coordinating efforts against the epidemic, PM Orbán said on Facebook that a decision concerning restrictions on Christmas Eve would be made later.
The prime minister said the current curfew between 8pm and 5am will stay in place, adding that “we will decide about a possible exception for Christmas Eve on December 21, in view of the situation then.” He added, however, that December 31 would be no exception, with a ban on New Year’s Eve parties.
PM Orbán said the decision was made after consultation with epidemiologists and other experts who called for prolonging the restrictions. PM Orbán said that a vaccine would be made available in the “foreseeable future”, adding that people wishing to be inoculated could start registering on Tuesday. “We are working for Hungary to be among the first countries to get the vaccine,” he said. The government is in talks with every player, without regard to political or corporate interests, he said. The only priority is to bring the vaccine to Hungarians as soon and as safely as possible.