Hungary extends coronavirus restrictions until 11 January

With curfew still in force, New Year’s Eve street parties are out of the question

The latest coronavirus restrictions in Hungary will remain in force for another month, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced today in a video uploaded to his official Internet page following a meeting with the National Operative HQ.  

The current curfew between eight in the evening and five in the morning will be extended until January 11. Only people in emergency situations and those going to and from work are exempt. The latter must carry a specific certificate with government-defined content issued by their employer.

Temporary lifting of curfew possible on Christmas Eve

The government may lift the curfew on Christmas Eve, but this will be decided on 21 December 21, taking the epidemiological situation into account, pointed out Orbán. There will be no exceptions on 31 December, meaning that New Year’s Eve parties and street parties cannot be held this year. 

The Prime Minister again stressed that the solution is a vaccine which will be available soon. The vaccine will be free and voluntary, and a dedicated website will be launched this week, a government spokesman specified earlier. Registration starts on Tuesday and anyone wishing to inoculate himself can apply.

Orbán stressed that his government has negotiated with all pharmacological producers, without succumbing to political considerations or the lobbying power of competing large international companies, with the sole aim of bringing the vaccine to all Hungarians as quickly and safely as possible. 

The Prime Minister thanked the doctors, nurses and educators for their work and asked everyone to follow the epidemiological rules. "Let's take care of each other even during the holidays, because every life matters!", concluded Viktor Orbán.