Due to the second wave of COVID-19 and the growing number of infected people, the Government of Hungary has ordered new epidemiological measures from 21 September 2020.
The relevant government decree stipulates that everyone, except a minor under the age of 6, must wear a mask covering their mouth and nose in the following places:
- on public transport and in waiting areas,
- in catering units,
- in shopping malls,
- in museums, libraries, public cultural institutions,
- in cinemas,
- at the post office, authority helpdesk and other customer service areas,
- in health care institutions,
- in social institutions
The regulation envisages sanctions for those who do not comply with the requirements for wearing a mask:
- passengers who do not wear the mask (properly) on public transport may be removed from the vehicle upon warning of the driver or another employee of the operator and may be subject of a misdemeanour procedure. The operator may impose a fine on passengers violating these rules (e.g. fines apply on Budapest public transport).
- in other places listed in the legislation shall be excluded from the visit after one warning and it shall be ensured that this person leaves the room or area.
- customers without mask may not be served in shops or shopping malls and if the government office or the commercial authority establishes a breach after 3 October, the business shall be subject to the following sanctions:
- the business receives a warning for the first time;
- the second time they can receive a fine of up to HUF 100,000 – 1,000,000;
- for the third time, the business can be temporarily closed for a period between 3 days and 1 year;
- for the fourth time, the business may be temporarily closed for a number of days equal to the number of breaches but for a maximum of 1 year.
Sanctions may be imposed on several consecutive inspections even on the same day, but shall not be applied if the operator has taken the necessary measures to remedy the breach, as it called on the offending person to leave, refused service, and when the offender insisted on not leaving, informed the police.
Catering units shall be closed from 23:00 until 06:00, unless for customers ordered food to take away. The number of participants at music and dance events may not exceed 500 people (including the staff).
From 1 October 2020, public education and vocational training institutions are required to monitor the body temperature of persons entering their territory. According to the measures, adults may only escort children to the body temperature measurement point.