PM Heger: Cabinet approved lockdown for the unvaccinated

But some restrictions will apply to the vaccinated in the districts with the worst pandemic situation as well.

Restrictions will be toughened up.Restrictions will be toughened up. (Source: TASR)

With nearly 3,000 people in hospitals, 80 percent of whom are not vaccinated against Covid, the cabinet has approved stricter anti-pandemic measures that will come into force next Monday, November 22.

The main objective is to stabilise the critical situation in hospitals. As PM Eduard Heger stressed, they followed the recommendations of the concilium of experts, an advisory body to the Health Ministry.

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“I fully support these recommendations; I don’t want to make political decisions,” Heger told the press.

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The stricter measures, limiting both those vaccinated against Covid and those unvaccinated, will be in place for three weeks. If the situation improves, the cabinet is ready to discuss changes to the alert system, known as the Covid automat, which will give certain advantages for people who were inoculated and those who have recovered from the disease (but the recovery confirmation cannot be older than 180 days).

Can I go to the hairdresser or shopping if I'm not vaccinated? (Q&A about new rules) Read more 

“We have adopted a lockdown for the unvaccinated,” Heger said.

He also called on people to get vaccinated, as it is “the only and safest way to defeat Covid.”

What changes in the Covid automat?

The cabinet is introducing a new OP regime, which includes:

  • fully vaccinated people (no longer than one year after getting the vaccine);
  • people who have recovered from the disease and have received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine within 180 days since recovery (but no longer than one year after recovering from Covid);
  • people who have recovered from Covid within 180 days with confirmation of a negative PCR test result;
  • children younger than 12 2 years;
  • children aged two to 12 with a negative test result (PCR/LAMP: 72 hours, antigen: 48 hours).
More Covid restrictions proposed, affecting mostly the unvaccinated Read more 

Under the OTP regime, people must have one of the following: confirmation of full vaccination; a confirmation of recovery from Covid (no older than 180 days); or a negative test result (PCR: 72 hours, antigen: 48 hours)

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More details of some new restrictions are to be specified by the ordinances issued by the Public Health Authority (ÚVZ).

Red districts

Face coverings: mandatory FFP2/KN95 respirator inside and mask at mass events held outside (with exceptions) and within a 2m distance (if people are from different households)

Entry to the workplace: confirmation of full vaccination, recovery from Covid no older than 180 days, or a negative test result (PCR: 72 hours, antigen: 48 hours)

NOTE: Until the end of the month, the cabinet has promised to financially help employers with payments for Covid testing.

Shops and services:

  • OP: 1 person per 15 square metres
  • OTP: only essential shops: 1 person per 25 square metres

Opening hours of non-essential shops and service providers: no limitations

Shopping centres: OP regime only

Mass events:

  • OP: 200 people max., list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: six people max.
  • Basic (i.e. for everybody, including those not vaccinated and not tested): forbidden

Wedding ceremonies, funerals, christening:

  • Fully vaccinated: 200 people max., list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: six people max. (except for funerals)
  • Basic: six people max.

Weddings, parties, funeral feasts:

  • OP: 20 people max., list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: forbidden

Church services:

  • OP: 200 people max., list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: six people max.
  • Basic: individual pastoral care

Restaurants:

  • OP: inside: four people or people from one household at one table, 2m distance between tables; outside: no limitations
  • OTP: window point of sale, delivery service
  • Basic: window point of sale, delivery service

Accommodation facilities:

  • OP: without limitations
  • OTP: forbidden, except for quarantine purposes, business trips or long-term accommodation
  • Basic: forbidden, except for quarantine purposes or long-term accommodation

Sports events (limitations for athletes)

  • OP: 200 people max., list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: professional leagues only
  • Basic: forbidden

Fitness centres:

  • OP: 50 people max. or one person per 15 square metres; list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: forbidden
  • Basic: forbidden

Wellness, water parks:

  • OP: no limits for wellness if it is part of an accommodation facility; otherwise, 10 people max.
  • OTP: forbidden
  • Basic: forbidden

Swimming pools:

  • OP: 50 percent of capacity
  • OTP: forbidden
  • Basic: forbidden

Museums and galleries:

  • OP: no limitations
  • OTP: forbidden
  • Basic: forbidden

Dark-red districts

Face coverings: mandatory FFP2/KN95 respirator inside and mask outside with exceptions and within a 2m distance (if people are from different households)

Entry to the workplace: confirmation of full vaccination, recovery from Covid no older than 180 days, or a negative test result (PCR: 72 hours, antigen: 48 hours)

NOTE: Until the end of the month, the cabinet has promised to financially help employers with payments for Covid testing.

Shops and services:

  • OP: 1 person per 15 square metres
  • OTP: only essential shops: 1 person per 25 square metres

Opening hours of non-essential shops and service providers: 5:00 to 22:00

Shopping centres: OP regime only

Mass events:

  • OP: 100 people max., list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: six people max.
  • Basic (i.e. for everybody, including those not vaccinated and not tested): forbidden

Wedding ceremonies, funerals, christening:

  • Fully vaccinated: 100 people max., list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: six people max. (except for funerals)
  • Basic: six people max.

Weddings, parties, funeral feasts:

  • OP: 20 people max., list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: forbidden

Church services:

  • OP: 100 people max., list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: six people max.
  • Basic: individual pastoral care

Restaurants:

  • OP: inside: four people or people from one household at one table, 2m distance between tables; outside: no limitations
  • OTP: window point of sale, delivery service
  • Basic: window point of sale, delivery service

Accommodation facilities:

  • OP: without limitations
  • OTP: forbidden, except for quarantine purposes, business trips or long-term accommodation
  • Basic: forbidden, except for quarantine purposes or long-term accommodation

Sports events (limitations for athletes)

  • OP: 100 people max., list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: professional leagues only
  • Basic: forbidden

Fitness centres:

  • OP: 20 people max. or one person per 15 square metres; list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: forbidden
  • Basic: forbidden

Wellness, water parks:

  • OP: 10 people max. if wellness is part of accommodation facility; otherwise forbidden
  • OTP: forbidden
  • Basic: forbidden

Swimming pools:

  • OP: 25 percent of capacity
  • OTP: forbidden
  • Basic: forbidden

Museums and galleries:

  • OP: no limitations
  • OTP: forbidden
  • Basic: forbidden

Black-tier districts

Face coverings: mandatory FFP2/KN95 respirator inside and mask outside with exceptions and within a 2m distance (if people are from different households)

Entry to the workplace: confirmation of full vaccination, recovery from Covid no older than 180 days, or a negative test result (PCR: 72 hours, antigen: 48 hours)

NOTE: Until the end of the month, the cabinet has promised to financially help employers with payments for Covid testing.

Shops and services:

  • OP: 1 person per 15 square metres
  • OTP: only essential shops: 1 person per 25 square metres

Opening hours of non-essential shops and service providers: 5:00 to 22:00

Shopping centres: OP regime only

Mass events:

  • OP: 50 people max., list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: six people max.
  • Basic (i.e. for everybody, including those not vaccinated and not tested): forbidden

Wedding ceremonies, funerals, christening:

  • Fully vaccinated: 50 people max., list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: six people max. (except for funerals)
  • Basic: six people max.

Weddings, parties, funeral feasts:

  • OP: forbidden
  • OTP: forbidden

Church services:

  • OP: 50 people max., list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: six people max.
  • Basic: individual pastoral care

Restaurants:

  • OP: window point of sale, delivery service
  • OTP: window point of sale, delivery service
  • Basic: window point of sale, delivery service

Accommodation facilities:

  • OP: forbidden, except for quarantine purposes, business trips or long-term accommodation
  • OTP: forbidden, except for quarantine purposes, business trips or long-term accommodation
  • Basic: forbidden, except for quarantine purposes or long-term accommodation

Sports events (limitations for athletes)

  • OP: 50 people max., list of participants mandatory
  • OTP: professional leagues only
  • Basic: forbidden

Fitness centres:

  • OP: forbidden
  • OTP: forbidden
  • Basic: forbidden

Wellness, water parks:

  • OP: forbidden
  • OTP: forbidden
  • Basic: forbidden

Swimming pools:

  • OP: 10 people max.
  • OTP: forbidden
  • Basic: forbidden

Museums and galleries:

  • OP: individual visits or 1 person per 15 square metres
  • OTP: forbidden
  • Basic: forbidden

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