Hungary set to bolster vaccination drive to combat third COVID-19 wave: PM
February 19, 2021, 10:40 am

Hungary set to bolster vaccination drive to combat third COVID-19 wave: PM

A health worker prepares the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. (AP)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Friday said the country’s health care system will withstand pressure from a rising third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and ramp up inoculations with new vaccine shipments.

Several central European countries have struggled to maintain health care services as the coronavirus pandemic spreads rapidly, with Slovakia asking for help from EU partners.As large Chinese and Russian vaccine shipments join Western drugs to help the vaccination effort, Budapest expects to inoculate 1.2 million people by early March and 2.5 million of its 10 million citizens by early April, Orban told public radio.

“We are in a moment of danger,” Orban said. With vaccinations and infections “racing along”, he urged citizens to register for vaccinations.

“Then, if we can fight off the third wave, we can reopen the country,” he said.

Hungary has launched a nationwide survey to see if people feel safe resuming social interactions for those who have been inoculated, or prefer to wait until the pandemic is over before curbs are eased.

Hungary will launch a vaccine passport in coming weeks, the government has said, although details are sketchy.

Hungary was the first EU member to secure vaccines from non-Western sources, with the first shipment of Russia’s Sputnik V drug arriving this month and half a million doses of a Chinese vaccine following it on Tuesday.

source: Reuters

Image source: AP

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”