Hungary postpones school re-opening to May

Although the army has finished disinfecting schools during the spring break, it is not worth re-opening schools for “just a few days”, Orbán said. Education in high schools will start on 10 May. As last year, seniors will only take written final exams, he added.

“We have been living in near-wartime conditions for a year,” Orbán said, adding that he understood that people had enough. This will only end once the virus is defeated using vaccines, but that requires people who actually take the vaccine, he said. The number of people registered to be vaccinated passed the 4 million mark yesterday, but that is still not enough, so the government is launching a campaign with celebrities to increase willingness, Orbán said.

If all goes as planned, Hungary will soon reach 3 million people vaccinated with at least one dose.

More than 2.7 million people have been vaccinated, and this number will reach 4 million by early May,

Orbán said, projecting 6 million by mid-May and 7 million by the beginning of June.

I fear there will be more vaccines than people who want them,

he said.

The football matches Hungary is scheduled to host in this summer’s European Championship will begin on 15 June. By that time, everyone who has registered can be vaccinated, and people with immunity cards will be able to attend the matches, Orbán said.

Cover photo: Viktor Orbán’s Facebook