Hungary approves Chinese Sinopharm's COVID vaccine, first in European Union

[January 29, 2021]  BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary, which last week became the first European Union member to buy Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, on Friday became the bloc's first to approve China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told state radio that a deal on the Chinese vaccine purchase could be sealed imminently. His government was also closely monitoring the outcome of mass inoculations with the vaccine in neighbouring Serbia, he said.

Orban also said he would personally choose the Chinese vaccine as he trusted it the most.

"Today the OGYEI (Hungarian drug regulator) has issued the permission to use the Sinopharm vaccine as well, so after Pfizer, Moderna, Astra Zeneca and the Russian Sputnik vaccine, we can also count on the Sinopharm shot," surgeon general Cecilia Muller told a briefing.

Hungary, which has often gone its own way in its migration and economic policies in the EU, has opted to acquire vaccinations from Russia and China in order to speed up its vaccination drive.

In the country of close to 10 million people, a total of

​364,909 people have been infected and 12,374 people have died of COVID so far, according to government data.

Even though new infections have been dropping, more than 3600 people are stil in hospital still, straining the healthcare system, so the government has extended restrictions until March 1. These include a 1900 GMT night curfew, and all restaurants and cafes are closed except for takeaway meals.

This month, Serbia received one million doses of Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine, becoming the first European country to start a mass inoculation programme with it.

Hungary said its first shipment could comprise up to one million doses.

Orban said if Hungary could get hold of the Chinese vaccine, it could inoculate around 1.7 million people by March.

Orban's government is under pressure to reopen the economy as soon as possible after last year's pandemic-driven crash led to its worst recession since the global financial crisis. Hungary holds a national election next year.

(Reporting by Krisztina Than and Anita Komuves ; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Angus MacSwan)

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