BUDAPEST, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Although the majority of healthcare workers have been inoculated against COVID-19, the Hungarian government moved to vaccinate every employee in the health sector, it said Friday.
"In order to curb further waves of the coronavirus epidemic and protect patients, healthcare workers are now required to get the vaccine," the government said in the latest issue of the Official Journal.
In Hungary, the COVID-19 vaccination rollout started with healthcare workers at the end of December last year. The vast majority of healthcare workers have taken the vaccination and only a minority remain unvaccinated, according to the government.
"Now it is their turn to take the vaccine," the government said.
"Healthcare workers are more exposed to infection and can be a source of the virus in the community. Vaccination is also needed to protect their own health and that of patients," the government explained.
The deadline for the first vaccine jab is Sept. 1, except for those who have a medical condition forbidding them to take the vaccine.
As of Friday, 5,617,260 people in Hungary have received at least one vaccine dose, while 5,428,980 had both, according to the official data.
Hungary reported 64 new COVID-19 cases and one death in a 24-hour span on Friday. To date, the country has recorded a total of 809,491 cases and 30,026 deaths. Enditem
