Democracy Digest: Hungary Vies with Czechia for World’s Worst COVID Death Rate

Health expert Gabriella Lantos wrote in an op-ed that it is time to call Viktor Orban to account for what is happening in Hungary. The prime minister famously said in September that all lives matter and the success of tackling the pandemic would be measured in lives lost. The day he spoke, on September 12, two people died of COVID-19. A week later, Orban reiterated that he takes full responsibility for all measures taken: "All decisions have to be made by the government and, consequently, the responsibility also has to be taken by the government, mostly of course by me. This is my job for which I am paid for."

In her op-ed, Lantos wondered whether it is a deliberate strategy of the government to let the pandemic rip through society to reach herd immunity as fast as possible or just proof of mismanagement at all levels of the administration. "If it goes on like this, the death toll could reach 30,000-40,000," she warned.

Even when experts were already urging restrictions in the middle of the autumn, Hungary was still proudly organising international soccer matches and welcoming 20,000 foreign fans from Germany and Spain. When the numbers began climbing at the beginning of February, the government still refrained from imposing any restrictions. By the time school and non-essential retail closures were finally announced, it was already too late.

The independent online weekly hetivalasz.hu listed seven reasons why Hungary is doing especially badly. Besides the belated government decisions and a very low level of testing (Hungary is not even in the top 50), the generally poor health condition of the population - diabetes, obesity, unhealthy lifestyles - is also contributing to the high mortality rate. Most people visit doctors when it's too late,...