Epidemic Restrictions Canceled from Monday, No Masks Needed

The mandatory wearing of masks, which was made compulsory again in November 2021, is no longer compulsory as of Monday March 7th, only optional, announced Gergely Gulyás, the PM’s chief of staff, at last week’s government briefing.

The decisions are the following:

• No need to wear a mask in confined spaces, on public transport, or at stations
• From March 4th, the ban on visits to hospital wards not affected by Covid infection was lifted, with a maximum of two visitors per patient per day, for a maximum of 60 minutes
• Health care services can be used as normal, but masks must be worn
• Employers can no longer require their employees to be vaccinated
• All restrictions on the use of domestic services subject to the requirement of an immunity card will be lifted
• Restrictions on events will be lifted, no longer requiring an immunity card for sporting events, cultural events, music and dance events, outdoor events with more than 500 peopleB
• Entry restrictions are also lifted
• All public administration employees will no longer have to be vaccinated: health, social, and defense workers will still have to be vaccinated, but others will not
• Workers who have been sent on unpaid leave under the relevant government decree for not having been vaccinated will be able to return to work: this form of leave will be abolished on April 1st.

The Budapest Transport Center (BKK) also reminded customers on their website about the decision. They write that “of course, anyone can continue to wear a mask to protect their health, based on individual choice.”

BKK, however, still recommends paying attention to the following: “Please use the hand sanitizer placed near the entrance at the personal sales points. We recommend contactless payment with a debit card, as well as the possibility to use the BudapestGO app, which allows you to plan your journey, buy tickets, or check the current traffic situation in one single interface.”

The decree was also published in the official government gazette, Magyar Közlöny.

Featured image via Márton Mónus/MTI