Two-thirds of Hungarians faced the price of the tests

So far, it has not been, nor is it expected to be, an easy situation for someone who needs a coronavirus test without showing symptoms of the disease, but has been officially quarantined for some reason and wants to get rid of it in 14 days. . It is not difficult to do so: if someone returns to Hungary from abroad, they will only be released with the result of two negative PCR tests carried out 48 hours apart, in the same way contact persons can leave their home if it can be affirmed about the base of two samples that are not present. viruses in your body.

After private service providers were able to start PCR coronavirus testing in late spring, the market settled for roughly 30,000 to 35,000 guilders fees. Therefore, if a coronavirus test was required in the case of a family of four, then 260,000 HUF had to be paid along with the repeat examination, which almost completely eliminated Hungary’s net median income of 262,648 HUF. Social tensions have escalated due to test prices, especially after the government unexpectedly closed all the country’s borders to foreigners on September 1, but those who entered Hungary were forced to complete the two-week quarantine. , of which they were only able to get rid of the evidence ahead of time.

The government introduced an official price in the market: it reduced the price of an investigation to 19,500 HUF. Although the government’s decision in this regard was only published on Friday morning, already after Viktor Orbán’s announcement on Wednesday night, several private laboratories and health care providers indicated that the price does not cover their costs, so they will stop . As we wrote above, even if they stop testing the population, they can transfer the free capacity of their equipment to the National Center for Public Health, which, according to our information, has contracted private laboratories to perform PCR tests at a price of around 22,000 HUF.

Now it turns out that laboratories can only charge 17,000 HUF for the diagnoses themselves, while the maximum amount that can be requested is 2,500 HUF for the sampling service. Meanwhile, voices in public opinion have already intensified, according to which the total cost of HUF 19,500 is too high. Staying with a family of four: The price of the two four tests costs 156,000 guilders, which is almost 60 percent of average net earnings.

According to the Hungarians, this is not a solution.

For Napi.hu, Pulzus Kutató conducted a survey on how satisfied people are with the idea of ​​official prices, showing that just over a quarter of people consider this to be just a sufficient step by the government. The picture is also nuanced by the fact that the representative sample survey was conducted when the size of the quantity was not even known. Six percent said the pricing issue should be left to the market, while 61 percent, the vast majority, believe the state should provide research completely free of charge.

From a survey standpoint, it’s always problematic to include a free listing as an option, as the basic reaction is that if you don’t have to for some reason, you don’t have to pay. The question is now justified by the fact that one of the international models for controlling the coronavirus epidemic was once decided by a state that, although financially a significant investment is the introduction of free and unlimited testing, this is the most effective solution. for a pandemic. the economic benefits may also be greater.

South Korea, for example, switched to this method in February, because if the contagion rate is low, stores and restaurants can continue to operate under less stringent measures and work can continue without stopping at the workplace. However, according to a previous compilation, it is easier to get a free trial across Europe than in Hungary: high fever is an essential symptom in Hungary, but when ignored, the test is still requested after prolonged malaise.

In the Netherlands or Germany, for example, PCR tests are already available for milder signals, while in Italy or Spain, if someone comes home from abroad, they can receive it as a subject. And in more and more cities in France, the South Korean model offers completely free. In the hybrid healthcare system in Slovakia, insurers offer cheaper testing options in private laboratories or even hospitals. In other words, if this is the case elsewhere, then in Hungary it is a legitimate suggestion that the trial be free.

There are no real differences in terms of gender distribution: 26% of women and 28% of men support the government initiative. While the problem is the opposite with the issue of free, the distribution is 60 to 63 percent, but women are more in favor of free.

Similarly, there are no big differences in the distribution by age groups: perhaps surprisingly, the proportion of young people who support official prices is the highest among young people, and 29% consider that it is a sufficient solution, compared to only 26% among the elderly. The latter group has the highest proportion of those who cannot form an opinion on the subject, but they also have only 8 percent. However, within two percent (60-62 percent) the proportion of those who support free for all ages is.

There is a three percent difference in the mindset of those with primary and tertiary education: 30 percent of those with higher education agree with the official price, while only 59 percent of them support free tests. Meanwhile, 26 percent of people with lower education agree with the solution chosen by the government and 62 percent want a free solution. Those with secondary ratings show roughly the proportions of the total society sample, with the difference that 7 percent of those who see the market should stay at the price of the tests.

The relationship also moves almost within the margin of error in the settlements. Budapest residents differ the most from the average: 32 percent support the government setting a mandatory price, while “only” 57 percent expect free testing and sampling. The residents of the municipalities are those who least accept the official prices (23%), while those who live in the head of the county are those who most want free exams (62%).

Does the government point at people but not listen to them?

Just a week ago, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on a regular morning radio, in a question and answer briefing that the 1.8 million people who returned to the national consultation would organize the defense of the country according to their will. Then he talked about how people clearly want the country to not stop, to keep the economy going. In essence, this was a statement that spring-like austerity measures are now lacking and, as in Sweden, the coronavirus situation is expected to be addressed through public compliance with the rules for wearing masks, hygiene and distance. Social.

This, in turn, was combined with massive tests in the Scandinavian country, where private laboratories asked prices close to 95-100 crowns (35-40 thousand guilders) for the PCR tests, even those with milder symptoms were examined in a way. free within the state. The Swedish model has proven successful because they are hardly encountering new infections at the moment, their death rates have dropped to a weekly average of 3.4 per week for the past month and a half, but their economic efficiency is still questioned by many. In any case, it is certain that the 8.3% drop in GDP in the second quarter is one of the best figures at the EU level, but it is not certain that saving growth in a significantly different Hungarian economy can work in this way. way.

The Hungarian government began the fall defense on September 1, with the border closed. At the time, according to research by Napi.hu and Pulzus, only 21 percent of Hungarians considered it a sufficient step, while 40 percent thought it was necessary, but also expected other steps. The proportion of those who said the measure was unnecessary and should be defended completely differently was 25 percent.