Making parking free on public premises serves to enable people going to work or undertaking essential errands not to have to use public transport, the Chief Medical Officer said at the Monday online press conference of the Operational Group responsible for the containment of the coronavirus epidemic.

Cecília Müller said it is “promising news” that two patients infected with the coronavirus have been removed from assisted ventilation at the Szent László Hospital. News reports keep spreading around the world that the chances of recovery, of “returning” for patients connected to ventilators are very slim, she indicated, adding that it seems that we have now succeeded in achieving that.

The expert said those working in social services and elderly care homes will also be faced with extra workload; they, too, are playing a key role in the management of the epidemic. In this context, she said in the interest of a better work schedule and the accurate determination of working hours and rest hours, it is possible to introduce shifts of 24 hours followed by 48 hours of rest.

Ms. Müller indicated that, in addition to supplies provided for hospitals, basic health care workers had been supplied with 522,000 surgical face masks. Other protective supplies are arriving on an ongoing basis, and stocks are being replenished continuously.

Regarding the fact that, according to an article published in the US newspaper The New York Times, the head of the Hungarian office of the World Health Organization (WHO) claims that Hungary has been in the phase of mass incidences for a month, Ms. Müller said they are in continuous communication with Ledia Lazeri, and so “it is hard to believe that she would make a statement that is not true, and does not reflect the actual situation in Hungary”. At the same time, with reference to the disease control situation in the United States, Ms. Müller said The New York Times should be busy with events to report at home, and should leave the management of the Hungarian disease control situation to the Hungarian authorities.

She highlighted repeatedly that the coronavirus is present throughout the territory of the country. However, two thirds of registered infected persons are in Budapest and Pest County, and this is why it is important to observe the rules of containment, while we are not yet in the phase of mass incidences.

She also said, in every instance, pre-employment medical assessments are carried out for the resumption of work and the necessary paperwork is issued by occupational health physicians.

She highlighted that face masks and protective gloves no longer used at home must be collected separately, deposited in double bags, and discarded in communal waste an hour or two later.

In answer to a question, she said while the virus dies at high temperatures, using the sauna does not kill the virus that is already present in the body.

She also said, at this point, there is no evidence to confirm that an improvement in the weather and higher daily temperatures would affect the spread of the virus.

In answer to the question as to whether the blood plasma of recovered patients is also being collected in Hungary, Ms. Müller said there are preparations under way in Hungary, too, and such interventions are possible.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)