Contents – Hungary – Cecília Müller: Hungarian vaccine development is progressing well

The national medical director, Cecília Müller, was heard at a meeting of the National Defense and Law Enforcement Committee, who said that the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic was much stronger for all indicators.

According to the MTI summary, Müller Cecília reported, among others, the following data:

• 3,891 people died in relation to the coronavirus between March 4 (the first case was recorded) and November 22,
• 605 confirmed infected deaths in the first wave of the epidemic,
• this is 15.5 percent of all deaths, 84.5 percent of them are victims of the second wave,
• the proportion of deaths in which no other underlying disease or comorbidity was detected is currently 4 to 7 percent.

In explaining the distribution by age groups, Cecília Müller said: in the first wave rather, the elderly were affected. 14% of those infected were over 80 years old and 9.8% belonged to the 70 to 79 age group. It was also observed that the number of infected people was higher among men.

A at the beginning of the second wave Those between 20 and 29 years old and then those between 10 and 19 years old were the most affected, later the older and older also participated. Currently, the average age of those infected is 40 years and that of the deceased is 76 years.

He also noted that there is now no settlement that is not involved in the epidemic. Group-specific tests have been launched and the number and scope of PCR tests has been expanded. The national medical director also spoke about the establishment of a national vaccine factory and said:

Cecília Müller is confident that Hungary’s compulsory vaccination system will generate sufficient confidence in the population, so they will take advantage of the possibility of vaccination.

Representative questions to Cecilia Müller

It was also possible to ask the National Medical Director at the committee meeting. Speakers from pro-government and opposition groups also thanked those involved in advocacy, with several highlighting the work of doctors and nurses working in hospitals.

Lajos Kósa, the chairman of the Fidesz committee asked, among other things, about vaccine options. Cecília Müller said that several vaccines could arrive in Hungary at the same time. All types must be administered twice and the vaccine must be repeated after 3-4 weeks with the same vaccine.

László György Lukács, the vice-chairman of the committee asked which Hungarian ministry is in charge of the vaccination schedule. The Medical Director drew attention to the fact that the calendar is coordinated by the Ministry of Human Resources with the assistance of the NNK.

Vaccination begins with chronic patients and those involved in defense, and then the circle is extended to the general population. At vakcinainfo.gov.hu ​​you will soon be able to indicate who you want to vaccinate yourself. For retirees, this survey is designed in a traditional way.

Ágnes Vadai, the vice chairman of the DK committee harshly criticized the koronavirus.gov.hu ​​page and asked if there would be a page describing time series data, where the occupancy of hospital beds and the development of the number of tests could also be followed . He also asked why, as in the spring, local governments do not receive information about those who are in quarantine.

Cecília Müller said that the number of tests carried out is published continuously on koronavirus.gov.hu. Regarding the provision of data, he added:

He also mentioned that there were many objections to the positive cases being notified to the municipalities. Especially in small settlements, the infected person can be identified and thus exposed to segregation. However, he noted that anyone could still ask the municipality for help.

The MSZP Tamás Harangozó Among other things, it wonders why the social sector tests have failed. He and Simon Miklós Vice President Fidesz also asked if vaccine supplies were provided for this year’s flu season. The Socialist MP also raised the question of where the four-component vaccine that the government bought was needed and why it was needed.

Cecília Müller denied that the tests are not carried out in the social sector. Regarding the control of influenza, he reported that

He asked the GPs to inform the district public health department if they needed another vaccine. The medical director also said that the government had not seized anything, that it had purchased the four-component vaccine so that it would also be available to everyone for free.

There is a hospital commander who has had a heart attack, several of whom have been infected

At the committee meeting, Zsolt Halmosi, the hospital’s national commander-in-chief, stated:

When, after the first wave of the epidemic in the spring, the government lifted the emergency, the hospital’s commander-in-chief system was still in place, but adjusted to needs, Zsolt Halmosi reported.

In the spring, another 109 hospital commanders were assigned to 108 institutions and 94 hospital commanders are currently working in 93 health institutions. Of these, 48 were assigned to the police, 17 to disaster management, and 29 to the military.

In addition to the health institutions, 19 social institutions have institutional commanders, these are institutions where the number of people placed is 200 or more. Fourteen of them were assigned by the police, one by disaster management personnel and four by the military.

He also spoke specifically that hospital commanders have been at risk since the system was established, that three hospital commanders have suffered serious health problems, such as a heart attack, and that eleven hospital commanders are currently battling an infection by coronavirus. Arrangements were made for his change.

(Cover image: Cecília Müller, National Medical Chief, after the meeting of the operational personnel responsible for the control of coronavirus infection at the Ministry of the Interior on February 24, 2020. Photo: Zoltán Máthé / MTI)