By: V4 Agency
The target of vaccinating 3.5 million people can be reached on Friday and, as a result, outdoor terraces can reopen the day after, on Saturday, the Hungarian Prime Minister’s office chief told an online press briefing on Thursday.
Terraces can stay open until 9:30 pm, just like shops, Gergely Gulyas stressed, adding that the beginning of the night curfew will change to 11 pm.
The reopening of bars and restaurants marks the first step on the way to regaining our freedom, he said, noting that hopefully further steps will follow soon, as significant quantities of vaccines are expected to arrive in the country.
Hungary is expected to take delivery of one million Chinese vaccines and 200 thousand first doses of the Russian vaccine, as well as more than 300 thousand Pfizer vaccines next week, Mr Gulyas said. The goal is to administer the vaccines as quickly as possible. We have a good chance to surpass the 4 million threshold next week, he added.
Gergely Gulyas also revealed that Prime Minister Viktor Orban would provide information on steps planned by the government once the number of vaccinated people reaches 4 million in Hungary.
PM Orban’s office chief underlined that the state of emergency must be extended until the autumn because the pandemic is not over yet. The extension serves to ensure that the country remains responsive, he said, adding that – if made possible by the pandemic figures – the government may decide to rescind the special legal order as early as in the summer.