Coronavirus in Hungary: Viktor Orbán announces partial containment from Wednesday 11/11

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The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has reached central and eastern Europe and is expected to peak in mid-November.

Curfew from 8pm in Hungary

Viktor Orbán announced on Monday morning a battery of new measures, which took effect at midnight on Tuesday night

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, so far reluctant to tighten restrictions in response to the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, announced Monday a partial lockdown starting Wednesday 11/11.

Gatherings are banned, restaurants closed, cultural and leisure events cancelled and the curfew extended from 20:00 to 05:00, Orbán said in a video posted on Facebook. Sporting events are being maintained but will be held behind closed doors.

On the education side, nurseries and schools will remain open, but in high schools and universities, courses will now be taught at a distance.

These measures, which were approved by Parliament on Tuesday, are to be in place for a minimum of 30 days.

The central European country of just under 10 million people has recorded nearly 2,500 deaths from the coronavirus and almost 115,000 cases of infection since the start of the pandemic, with an explosion in recent weeks.

Popular activities for Hungarians during lockdown

While many Hungarians will have no choice but to stop working and stay at home, some already have ideas to keep their time busy.

• DIY and little ideas to decorate an apartment 

On the internet, there are plenty of DIY tutorials: simple and quick ideas to do at home, without specific skills and with little material. Scissors, thread, plastic bottles or glass jars and a few tempera are enough to create small decorations that will embellish the house. This is the right time to have fun and let the imagination run wild. 

• Doing online training or watching lectures

Depending on the interests, it is possible to sign up for online courses or e-learning platforms. These sites offer distance learning courses, free or paid, for all subjects and all levels. For example, it is possible to start learning a new language, take music lessons, take a course in computer development or web design…. It’s up to everybody, but it’s the perfect opportunity to become more professional. It is also possible to take part in web conferences about one’s field of activity or to open oneself up to new horizons.

• Read a book

Don’t you have a ton of books that you never managed to finish? No more excuses! Freed from responsibilities, social constraints and other commitments, you can devote most of your time to reading. Novels are a great way to travel from your couch!

• Playing sports

You may be more motivated in the gym, but the lockdown or curfew should not discourage you. Daily exercise is still necessary to keep your figure in shape. You can train by watching online videos of certified coaches and you can improvise. The most important thing is to move! You can also go for an outside walk alone and have fresh air before coming back inside.