The Prime Minister said the cabinet meeting had just finished, and they were pleased to see that the number of people vaccinated at least once had reached three million. Therefore, on behalf of the government, he thanked everyone “whose work has contributed to this fine achievement,” including physicians, nurses, general practitioners, hospital workers, the foreign traders procuring vaccines, warehouse workers working in vaccine storage facilities, the workers loading vaccines on and off trucks and buses, and drivers who transport the vaccines to vaccination points.
He stressed that “we are making good progress, we are proceeding swiftly with vaccinations; we are making the best and swiftest progress perhaps in the whole of Europe”.
He said the government determined 3.5 million people having received the first dose of the vaccine as the next step for the reopening of the country. Once that number is reached – it is to be hoped sometime towards the middle of next week, next Wednesday or Thursday – the terraces of restaurants and cafes will be allowed to reopen. “We will be given back another piece of our old life,” he said.
Mr Orbán highlighted that in order to make things easier for restaurateurs, they will not be required to pay the terrace fees that usually lie with them.
He said the government had also decided on the reopening of schools. They can only move forward gradually and cautiously; therefore, he asked parents for their patience and understanding. They decided that nursery schools and the lower grades of elementary schools will reopen on Monday, he said, adding that digital home education will remain in place for students in the upper grades of elementary schools; they will be allowed to go back to school at the same time as secondary school students, on 10 May.
The Prime Minister said the government had concluded that both internationally and domestically, political attacks against the vaccines had intensified. The purpose of these attacks is to create chaos, and to confuse people, he stated.
The Prime Minister asked everyone not to listen to anti-vaccination voices because vaccination can save lives. He asked people to accept the vaccine they are offered and to have themselves vaccinated.
“Let’s take care of each other, every life matters, and if things continue like this, together we will succeed again,” Mr Orbán stated in conclusion.
