"The inoculation week has been so successful that we've decided to extend it by one week," Orbán said on Kossuth Rádió.

He conceded that "few" people are getting their first COVID jab during the drive, but said "very many" are getting booster jabs.

That is of "pivotal significance" ahead of the holidays, he added.

He said that 20%-21% of Hungarians have had their booster jab already, well over the 6%-7% rate for the European Union as a whole.

    

    
 

    During the inoculation drive, anyone can visit a hospital vaccination centre to get a Covid jab between 7:00 in the morning and 7:00 in the evening, without registering or making an appointment.
 

    Mr Orban said Hungary has ordered 2m doses of vaccine for the purpose of inoculating children between the ages of 5 and 12 against the coronavirus and will take delivery of the first 130,000 jabs around December 20.
 

    He advised parents to have their children vaccinated, if possible.
 

    The European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Thursday approved the use of the Pfizer Covid vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11.