"Today is an important day because we're starting to inoculate with the Chinese vaccine," Orbán said in a video message posted on his Facebook page.

"The situation is not easy, because we have the good news that more vaccine has arrived and the number of inoculated is on the increase, but in the meantime, the third wave [of the pandemic] is threatening Hungary," he added.

He said easing pandemic restrictions "is not an issue to be discussed for the time being", but added that a "compassionate, acceptable" solution to the lockdown at nursing homes, where more 80% of residents have been immunized, would be weighed.