COVID-19: Hungary's Orbán announces new measures, aid package beefed up

We are approaching the phase of mass infections at an accelerated pace

, said Orbán.

While there are 167 confirmed COVID-19 cases, the actual number of those infected “is a lot higher”, he added.

There are already estimates in this respect, but the spread is too wide to make these estimates public, the PM added.

The 167 confirmed cases include 108 people that show no symptoms, 27 that are showing symptoms but “are most likely to recover”, 9 in critical conditions and in ICUs. So far, 7 people succumbed to the virus.

Protective gears available in Hungary at the moment:

• 1.5 million face masks (likely surgical masks, but the PM did not specify);
• 25,000 masks are produced daily and this number will be taken up to 80,000 this week;
• 129,000 special masks. Orbán did not specify but he likely refers to FFP2 or FFP3 masks;
• 20 million pairs of rubber gloves;
• 170,000 protective suits;
• 2,560 respirators;
• 66,906 hospital beds;
• 252 (military) camp beds.

There is a shortage of everything in the West, purchases can be made only in the East, Orbán said. The cabinet is expecting 10 aircraft with supplies.

As regards available medial staff, there are:

• 19,431 doctors under 65 years of age;
• 4,312 residents;
• 690 of this year's medical school graduates;
• 105,000 qualified health care professionals under 65 years of age.

Among the new measures in health care, he mentioned that as of tomorrow, doctors and nurses working in ICUs will receive special masks. Again, he did not specify what kinds of masks he was referring to, probably FFP2 of FFP3 masks, for the others, including those hospitalised on the suspicion of COVID-19 infection, will be given surgical masks. 

Click here for more information and recommendations on mask usage and to learn which mask gives you what level of protection. 

The problem is that officials have so far declined to give any kind of information about the protective gear doctors and nurses in the frontline were using or if they were equipped in this respect at all. Orbán's remark (special masks for ICU staff as of tomorrow) suggests there might have been cracks in the protocol, if there was a protocol in place at all. Doctors, including GPs, keep complaining about the lack of masks. One GP told news portal 444.hu that all they recieve is 3 FFP1 masks and a 110 ml hand sanitizer gel. For the doctor and his assistant. Not for a day, altogether! Even FFP3 masks are supposed to be replaced every four hours, according to safety regulations. Other GPs complained that although they were offered 50 surgical masks, they had to pick the up personally from one location in Budapest and the packages often contained 40 or 20 masks instead of 50.

Six new economic measures:

1. additional 81,000 small businesses will be exempted from kata (itemised tax for small businesses), mainly in the services sector (hairdressers, beauty parlors, glass-makers, painters, electicians, other human health care services, performing arts, plumbers, gas-fitters, outpatient care, flooring, recreational and other sports services)
2. kata arrears will be given a moratorium until the end of the state of emergency
3. similarly to tourism and catering, media service providers will also be given exemption considering their lost advertising revenues;
4. evictions and confiscations will be suspended until the end of the state of emergency;
5. tax execution procedures will also be suspended;
6. expiring eligibility for gyes (childcare allowance), gyed (childcare fee) and gyet (childcaring support) will be extended until the end of the state of emergency.