In accordance with the state of emergency declared by the central government, the Municipality of Budapest is ready and takes all necessary and reasonable measures to protect the public and its employees working in institutions and companies of the capital and to reduce the risk of panic among the general public.

To prepare for all possible situations, the Mayor has established a Metropolitan Coronavirus Operational Staff headed by Deputy Mayor Kata Tüttő, with the Chief Clerk of the Municipality, Tamás Számadó, as the secretary. Members of the Operational Staff are in constant contact with the National Coronavirus Control Operational Staff to ensure that all preparations are in line with the proposed measures issued by the national government and the WHO.

Based on the current information on the spread of the virus, people are requested to closely follow the hygiene codes suggested by WHO and the national authority.

The government of Hungary has created a website (https://koronavirus.gov.hu/) where everyone can receive up-to-date, reliable information regarding the spread of the virus, the recommended preventive measures and the current situation in Hungary. English version is also available: http://abouthungary.hu/news-in-brief/coronavirus-heres-the-latest/

In the scope of the Municipality, the following measures has been already introduced in line with the measures imposed by the central government:

• closing of the capital’s cinemas, theatres, museums and libraries, spas and the zoo.
• closing nurseries and kindergartens in Budapest from this Monday (schools and universities are also closed and the new digital curriculum started this Monday). If parents cannot take care of their children at home, municipalities provide a location for daycare and meals.

Both the national and the city level operational board holds press conference on a daily bases informing the public on the latest control measures imposed.

In the coming days, Budapest will launch its own informative website on the new coronavirus in English.