Public survey on easing lockdown in Hungary to be launched on February 15

The government is launching its latest National Consultation public survey concerning when to lift coronavirus restrictions during the week of Feb. 15, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff said on Friday.

Gergely Gulyás told an online press conference that the second wave of the pandemic in Hungary was in a phase of stagnation, meaning any easing of restrictions would have to be “cautious and gradual”.

If current trends continue, the restrictions may be eased in two steps, on March 1 and a month later, he said.

Concerning vaccinations, Gulyás noted Hungary has effective agreements with Russia and China, giving the country a good chance of inoculating “significantly more” people in February and March than other European Union countries.

Gulyás said it was important for the government to implement measures that had widespread public support and to consider what measures Hungarians would be willing to accept and suffer.

Whereas the epidemic had appeared to be waning up to the end of last week, it now seemed to be stagnating, he said, adding that a new variant of the virus spreading faster than earlier ones may be a factor.