The vaccination of health workers in Hungary will begin on 27 December. The arrival from the EU of 5,500 doses of vaccine looks certain at this point, with additional shipments to follow in the coming days, the Hungarian prime minister s office chief told an online press briefing on Tuesday.

Gergely Gulyas stressed that employees providing treatment to coronavirus patients at the intensive care units will be the first to be inoculated.

The minister underlined that the virus was spreading across the whole of Europe, and European countries have either maintained their pandemic-related measures, or imposed even stricter restrictions.

He indicated that the government would maintain the current restrictions until at least 11 January, adding however, that curfew restrictions will be suspended for one night on Thursday, on Christmas Eve. He said children aged under 14 will not count in the 10-person upper cap applied to gatherings.

Mr Gulyas also mentioned that Hungary had banned all passenger air services from the UK, following the example of most EU member states.