Hungary: New border restrictions from July 15 /update 10

Event

The Hungarian government has announced that new restrictions on cross-border travel will be implemented on Wednesday, July 15, following an increase in cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in other countries. Authorities announced that selected countries will be divided into "red" or "yellow" categories. Foreign nationals arriving from a "yellow" country will be required to go into quarantine for 14 days on their arrival in Hungary, whilst those arriving from a "red" country will be denied entry. Hungarian nationals are permitted entry if arriving from a "red" country; however, two negative tests will be required before they may leave quarantine. "Yellow" states include Bulgaria, China, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, the UK, and the US. "Red" states include Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Ukraine in addition to a number of destinations in Africa, Asia, and South America.

In May Hungarian authorities announced the reopening of the border with Slovenia for all purposes, without limitations or the need for a period of quarantine. Czechia and Slovakia also agreed to reopen their borders with Hungary, allowing their citizens to stay in one another's countries for stays of up to 48 hours without the requirement for a quarantine period. Entry from Austria for all purposes has also been permitted since May 22, provided arrivals present a document showing a negative COVID-19 test result. While Budapest International Airport (BUD) remains open, only Hungarian citizens and permanent residents of the European Economic Area (EEA) are permitted to enter the county.

As of Sunday, July 12 there have been 4234 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Hungary and 595 associated fatalities. Further international spread of the virus is to be expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Human-to-human and patient-to-medical staff transmission of the virus have been confirmed. Many of the associated fatalities have been due to pneumonia caused by the virus.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic.

Pneumonia symptoms include dry cough, chest pain, fever, and trouble breathing. Pneumonia can be contagious and can be transmitted from human to human. The influenza virus, or the flu, is a common cause of viral pneumonia.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care urgently and share your previous travel history with your health care provider.