Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony has instructed the heads of elderly care homes to pay increased attention to observing restrictions introduced as a result of the novel coronavirus and ensure that they meet staffing requirements.
Karácsony posted on Facebook the list of instructions he had sent to elderly care homes a month ago. He said these had been prepared on the basis of experiences gained from the first wave of the epidemic and served to prepare the institutions for a second wave. He said strict protocols must continue to be maintained for inbound and outbound visits. The heads of homes have the right to introduce stricter measures than those stipulated by the chief medical officer but any easing must be authorised by the operator municipal council. Karácsony said any persons showing symptoms of the virus must be immediately isolated and he highlighted a national public health centre decree which stipulates that hospitals are not allowed to release patients unless they hold a negative coronavirus test result. If hospitals fail to observe this rule, the elderly care home must isolate the patient and ask the municipal council to carry out the test. He also said that elderly care homes must keep stock of protective gear and other supplies sufficient for at least two weeks.
MTI
