Gov’t Lifts Almost All Pandemic-Related Measures

Hungary Today 2022.03.03.

As the fifth Covid wave is coming to an end, the government has decided to lift almost all coronavirus-related restrictions as of Monday (March 7), the prime minister’s chief of staff announced at a regular press conference on Thursday.

This article was originally published on our sister-site, Ungarn Heute.

The decision includes Hungary scrapping mask mandates from Monday. The government will also lift the regulations enabling companies to make vaccines mandatory for employees, and scrap those regulating the use of immunity certificates, Gergely Gulyás said.

The regulation on the use of immunity certificates will also be abolished.

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Meanwhile, the special legal order will remain in place to enable swift government action should a sixth wave of the pandemic hit the country, Gulyás said.

Gergely Gulyás added, however, that we cannot be certain whether there will be a sixth wave, in which case the measures could be reintroduced, but virologist experts are more optimistic than ever.

Coronavirus-related restrictions currently in effect in Hungary:

Facemasks are mandatory on public transport, in healthcare facilities, and in other enclosed environments, such as shops.
Non-essential businesses and services are open, no immunity certificate is required for restaurants, lodgings, recreational facilities, cultural events with reserved seating, and performances.
Immunity certificates indicating one has been vaccinated against or recovered from COVID-19 valid only for those who have been fully vaccinated.
Only individuals with a valid immunity certificate may attend sports, music, as well as dance events of more than 500 people.
The limit on private gatherings is 100 people, 400 for weddings.
The length of Covid quarantine is currently 7 days (shortened from the previous 10 days).
Employers have the legal authority to demand that staff be vaccinated if they attend their place of work.
Ban on visits to healthcare facilities, social institutions can decide for themselves.

Featured photo illustration by Tibor Illyés/MTI