The new protective measures that entered into effect from Monday serve to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the deputy head of the duty centre of the Operational Group responsible for the fight against the coronavirus epidemic said at an online press conference held on Monday.

Stressing the importance of individual responsibility, Lt. Colonel Róbert Kiss said in places where more stringent rules came into force everyone over the age of six is required to wear medical or safety face masks made from textile or some other material, making sure that the mouth and the nose are covered continuously.

According to his information, the drivers of public transport vehicles will be required to remove passengers travelling on public transport without face masks, while the operators of institutions will be required to bar visitors not wearing face masks on the premises of their institutions as well as persons not wearing their face masks in the required manner.  If those violating the protective measures refuse to leave the public transport vehicle or the premises of the institution, the driver or operator is obliged to initiate police action.

He added that the police themselves have the authority to check compliance with the latest protective measures within their own competence. If they observe any omission, they will call upon the driver of the vehicle or the head of the institution to observe the rules, while in individual cases they will also notify the competent government office or trade authority.

He further drew attention to the fact that from now on events involving dance and music can only be organised for maximum 500 persons. No such events can be held between 11.00 p.m. and 6.00 .a.m., and these restrictions also apply to catering establishments.

He asked everyone to observe these rules in the interest of protecting the lives and health of others.

In answer to a question, he said already during the first wave of the epidemic, unfounded, fake news reports had emerged, including that the Operational Group was going to put the capital in a lockdown. He stressed that scaremongering is a crime, and since 11 March the police have instituted 467 criminal procedures in connection with the epidemic, including 140 due to scaremongering.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister / MTI)