Partial Covid-lockdown has been just announced

HUNGARY - In Brief 09 Nov 2020 by Istvan Racz

---

Earlier this morning, PM Orbán has announced a substantial tightening of current Covid restrictions, in response to the rapid spreading of the virus and the growing pressure on the domestic health care sector. The new regime, which is to start at tomorrow at midnight and remain in place for 30 days, will include the following measures:- A night curfew between 8pm and 5pm, except for those going to work or in an extraordinary situation;- Universities and high schools for students over 14 will work through digital education;- All mass gatherings, organised events will be forbidden;- Private gatherings will be limited to max. 10 participants, burial ceremonies to max. 50 participants;- Sports events will have to be held behind closed gates;- Training & sports will be allowed in the free air but only individually;- Restaurants except for cafeterias maintained at workplaces will be closed, home delivery will remain possible;- Shops and other retail service providers will be required to close at 7pm;- Hotels can receive only business travellers;- Hospital workers, schoolteachers, kindergarten and nursery workers will have to be virus-tested on a weekly basis;- Restaurants and other hospitality industry service providers will not be required to pay wage taxes for 30 days, and the government will pay half of wages if the employer undertakes not to lay off its employees;- The government will compensate hotels for the loss of their bookings made by November 8, paying out 80% of their lost revenue, in case hotels keep their employees on payroll.All this amounts to a partial lockdown, and is very positive, in our view, from the point of view that the new measures appear likely to ...