Hungary announces further easing of COVID restrictions

STORY: Hungary Virus Easing - Hungary announces further easing of COVID restrictions

LENGTH: 00:54

FIRST RUN: 1858

RESTRICTIONS:

TYPE: Hungarian/Natsound

SOURCE: HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT HANDOUT

STORY NUMBER: 4327257

DATELINE: 22 May 2021 - Budapest

SHOTLIST:

RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT HANDOUT

Budapest - 22 May 2021

1. SOUNDBITE (Hungarian) Viktor Orban, Hungarian Prime Minister:

"We have the five millionth Hungarian citizen vaccinated. We have been saying for months that if we want to get back to our normal  healthy lives, vaccination is the only way to fight successfully against the virus. This goal has now been achieved. I thank all those who worked on this and those who got vaccinated. I urge those who have not yet got vaccinated to register. The coronavirus task force has decided that we don't have to wear masks in open-air areas or on the streets anymore. That means we can say goodbye to our masks, that was it. My dear mask, bye. Goodbye."

STORYLINE:

Hungary's government lifted several COVID-19 restrictions on Saturday, as it announced that five million people had received at least one vaccination.

"The coronavirus task force has decided that we don't have to wear masks in open-air areas or on the streets anymore," said Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

"That means we can say goodbye to our masks," he said.

He then said "My dear mask, goodbye," and placed it over the camera that had been recording his statement.

Masks will no longer be mandatory in public areas, an overnight curfew will be lifted and restrictions on the opening hours of shops will be removed.

Group sports will be permitted in public areas, as will private events of up to 50 people and weddings with up to 200.

Open-air events of up to 500 people will also be allowed.

The easing of restrictions came as Hungary has vaccinated more than 55% of its population, the second-highest rate in the European Union, using vaccines procured from Russia and China as well as from the EU.

Hungary had a devastating wave of the pandemic in the spring.

As of Saturday, 29,475 people had lost their lives in the country of fewer than 10 million.

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