Béla Merkely supported the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, arguing that, like Hungary's other vaccines, it provides effective protection against the coronavirus.
In the past 24 hours, 2,585 samples were registered with the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&H, of which 233 were positive for SARS-CoV-2
More opportunities for Pfizer/BioNTech vaccinations can soon be made available once more of the vaccine arrives to Hungary, according to Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office Gergely Gulyás. The minister addressed Friday’s single-day Pfizer vaccination opportunity, saying that it made it clear that people are willing to vaccinate themselves if their preferred vaccine type is available. The availability of different vaccines appears to have an impact on people’s vaccination willingness, since Hungary’s inoculation rate has noticeably slowed down since Friday’s Pfizer wave.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced last Friday morning that registration and vaccination for Pfizer/BioNTech would be available for that day alone, after which the vaccine would be set aside for 16-18-year-olds. He later added graduating teachers to this exclusion.
Hungary to Initiate Large-Scale Efficacy Study of Vaccines
Word has spread about a 12-month study being planned to test the efficacy of all vaccines currently authorized in Hungary. Despite the magnitude of the nation-wide experiment, the government has been relatively silent regarding its details.
The Pécs University Clinical Center shared a publication inviting people to take part in a voluntary 12-month antibody-study of the Sinopharm vaccine.
A 12-Month Volunteer Study of Antibodies
The document shared by the university states that
It is important to have an ever-broadening understanding of vaccines, both regarding their side effects and their impact on the immune system. Therefore, with agreement to the following tests, we are asking for help in creating a more detailed understanding of such immunological effects that vaccines have on us.”
Five Million Vaccinated in Hungary Within Weeks?
The number of people vaccinated against the coronavirus could reach five million within a few weeks, the leading infectologist of Budapest’s South Pest Central Hospital said on Monday.
János Szlávik told news channel M1 that six or seven million vaccinated will be necessary to achieve herd immunity in the country.
“The aim is to have as many people vaccinated as possible,” he said. “I believe Hungary is making good progress and I trust that the demand for vaccination will not slow down in the next few weeks,” he added.
Despite the favourable vaccination figures, there are still many elderly people who have not signed up for a shot, he said.