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Pandemic report - some good news, some worrying
5 years ago
General
[ General information ] ♞ [ Commission info ] ♞ [ Open slots and commission status ] ♞ [ About me ] I thought I should update you all about the situation over here in Hungary, and about myself.
Overall for now my life is pretty much the same as before. We have a bit of food stocked so we won't need to go shopping for a while, other than that things go like normal. But that's not the case for most of the country.
Our government for ONCE is actually doing the right thing in many ways regarding handling the situation. Schools closed and moved to distance education via the Internet and the re-purposing of a state TV, employment laws were temporarily modified to make it easier for employers to adapt, but most importantly, there is one action in particular that's a very good news for me and my mother:
The govt suspended ALL loan payments completely for individuals until the end of the year. (And until June for companies.) That means nobody has to pay a single cent until then. And my mother has some pretty large monthly payments that would have been near impossible to keep up with her decreased salary now with her workplace closed. Moreover, the govt also announced that in sectors that are heavily impacted by the situation (and my mother's job is one such) employers gain temporary exemption from several fees that are part of the combined "taxes" on salaries, and if I understand correctly, that means people in these sectors will get to keep a significantly larger percentage of their gross salaries, which again would be great for my mother. We will see soon.
In the other hand though, some events are... worrying. As of today, the Hungarian Military takes control of over 140 companies that were deemed critical for keeping the infrastructure working. Combined units of military, police and "catastrophe defense" will be sent to these companies to oversee their operation. And in one hand protecting critical infrastructure is important but at this point this action feels a bit... too early? Too excessive? Remember, our Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán is an anti-democratic hate-mongering dictator-wannabe. I don't want to start any conspiracy theories but this move so early feels unjustified and makes me feel uneasy. In addition, military will now patrol the streets of several towns and cities, especially those that have military facilities nearby... for reasons? Again, feels excessive... it's not like we are in a zombie apocalypse. But... we will see. Maybe Orbán is just having fun playing with his toys.
I'll keep you updated if anything of interest happens.
Until then, stay safe and healthy, remember to wash your paws and don't buy toilet paper by the thousands so there is some left for others too. :3
Overall for now my life is pretty much the same as before. We have a bit of food stocked so we won't need to go shopping for a while, other than that things go like normal. But that's not the case for most of the country.
Our government for ONCE is actually doing the right thing in many ways regarding handling the situation. Schools closed and moved to distance education via the Internet and the re-purposing of a state TV, employment laws were temporarily modified to make it easier for employers to adapt, but most importantly, there is one action in particular that's a very good news for me and my mother:
The govt suspended ALL loan payments completely for individuals until the end of the year. (And until June for companies.) That means nobody has to pay a single cent until then. And my mother has some pretty large monthly payments that would have been near impossible to keep up with her decreased salary now with her workplace closed. Moreover, the govt also announced that in sectors that are heavily impacted by the situation (and my mother's job is one such) employers gain temporary exemption from several fees that are part of the combined "taxes" on salaries, and if I understand correctly, that means people in these sectors will get to keep a significantly larger percentage of their gross salaries, which again would be great for my mother. We will see soon.
In the other hand though, some events are... worrying. As of today, the Hungarian Military takes control of over 140 companies that were deemed critical for keeping the infrastructure working. Combined units of military, police and "catastrophe defense" will be sent to these companies to oversee their operation. And in one hand protecting critical infrastructure is important but at this point this action feels a bit... too early? Too excessive? Remember, our Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán is an anti-democratic hate-mongering dictator-wannabe. I don't want to start any conspiracy theories but this move so early feels unjustified and makes me feel uneasy. In addition, military will now patrol the streets of several towns and cities, especially those that have military facilities nearby... for reasons? Again, feels excessive... it's not like we are in a zombie apocalypse. But... we will see. Maybe Orbán is just having fun playing with his toys.
I'll keep you updated if anything of interest happens.
Until then, stay safe and healthy, remember to wash your paws and don't buy toilet paper by the thousands so there is some left for others too. :3
*Basic healthcare insurance is mandatory and is paid as part of your taxes if if you are an employee or entrepreneur, and is paid by the state if you are elderly, unemployed, student or registered as living under the poverty line or being homeless. So technically speaking it's not free but in the end you get treated without having to pay for anything, including hospital time, surgeries, etc.
Speaking of, I really want to get rid of glasses, I hate them. But I've heard some first hand experiences of people permanent decrease in some areas after it,m eg not being able to differentiate colors as well as before, and as an artist, such risks are unacceptable to me. Last year I was able to try contact lenses and it was amazing, it felt like I got back a part of my life that was lost. Sadly though my finances didn't go so well so I couldn't afford it after a few months and back on glasses since. :( But at least if I can improve my income, getting contacts again is relatively affordable.
As for drugs, most people don't need any. It's mainly the elderly who do. The insurance mentioned above covers them partially. Depending on the type of drug and what it is for it can cover a small part, or a very large part.
Healthcare in Europe is treated as an essential social necessity so it s very heavily regulated and the EU as well as local govts are keeping it as affordable as possible. And if you think about it, it's actually the state's selfish interest to keep citizens healthy because sick and medically unfit people can't contribute much to the economy. (This is also why education is completely free, including University, because an educated workforce is beneficial to the state.)
And the situation with working from home and lot of things closed is about the same here.