The Macau government has extended its COVID-19 booster vaccination programme to all those aged 18 or over who have been fully (twice) inoculated with COVID-19 inactivated vaccines or mRNA vaccines at least six months ago.
In addition, the government also announced yesterday that those who need to visit a foreign country or Taiwan can now receive their COVID-19 booster jab at least three months after having been fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.
Both types of COVID-19 vaccines currently available in Macau, China’s Sinopharm inactivated vaccine and Germany’s BioNTech mRNA vaccine, are two-dose vaccines, meaning that those who have been inoculated with either of the two vaccines can only be regarded as having been fully inoculated against the novel coronavirus, i.e., having developed basic full immunity, at least 14 days after receiving their second dose.
Leong Iek Hou, who heads the Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Division of the Health Bureau (SSM), announced the extension of the local government’s COVID-19 booster jab programme during yesterday’s regular press conference by the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre.
Before the extension that was announced and started yesterday, Macau’s COVID-19 booster jab programme only covered all those aged 18 or over who had been fully inoculated with the Sinopharm vaccine at least six months ago, and those in certain groups who had been fully inoculated with the BioNTech vaccine at least six months ago, namely 1) all those aged 60 or over; 2) those aged between 18 and 59 with a weak immune system; and 3) those aged between 18 and 59 who were potentially subject to a higher COVID-19 risk, or were more likely to suffer a serious condition after infection.
During yesterday’s press conference, Leong said that the local government now suggests that all those aged 18 or over who have received two shots of inactivated vaccines or mRNA vaccines get a third COVID-19 vaccine dose as their booster jabs, a change from the previous arrangement in which those aged between 18 and 59 who had been fully inoculated with mRNA vaccines could only receive their booster jabs if they were potentially subject to a higher COVID-19 risk or have a weak immune system.
In addition, Leong also announced that the local government has now also shortened the required interval between the second jab of COVID-19 vaccinees who have an urgent need to visit a foreign country or Taiwan and their booster jab. In principle, Leong said, people in Macau can only get their booster shot at least six months after receiving their second dose. Now, Leong said, those who urgently need to visit a foreign country or Taiwan can receive their COVID-19 booster jab at least three months after receiving their second shot.
Recommend mRNA booster jabs
Leong also said that the Macau Health Bureau is recommending that those who have been inoculated with COVID-19 inactivated vaccines receive an mRNA jab as their booster shot, due to the recommendations made by different health agencies worldwide according to which mRNA booster vaccinations can provide stronger immunity against COVID-19 than inactivated booster vaccinations.
In Macau, those receiving a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose can choose to receive their booster jabs with the same technology as their first two shots or “mix and match” their booster shots. i.e., opting for a vaccine with a technological approach different from their first two jabs.
According to Leong, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said last month that those who choose an mRNA jab as their booster shot after receiving two shots of inactivated vaccines will develop a higher level of immunity against the novel coronavirus compared to choosing to stick to an inactivated jab as their booster shot.
The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) under the National Health Commission (NHC), Leong said, has also recently said that those who have had two shots of inactivated vaccines will develop stronger immunity against COVID-19 if they choose to “mix and match” their booster shots, compared to choosing to stick to an inactivated jab.
Leong also said that according to an announcement by Hong Kong’s Department of Health (DH) last month, top virologists there are recommending that people receive an mRNA jab as their booster shot, regardless of having been fully inoculated with inactivated vaccines or mRNA vaccines.
The inactivated COVID-19 vaccine currently available in Hong Kong is China’s Sinovac, while the mRNA vaccine administered there is also Germany’s BioNTech.
Leong also admitted that the Omicron variant is making COVID-19 vaccines less effective, but she was quick to add that the latest findings of research studies worldwide have indicated that mRNA booster vaccinations are still very effective against Omicron.
Possible jab-or-test measure at certain venues
Meanwhile, Leong also said during yesterday’s press conference that the Macau government will not rule out the possibility of requiring those entering certain venues and facilities to have been inoculated against the novel coronavirus or to present a nucleic acid test (NAT) certificate confirming a negative COVID-19 result valid for seven days in the near future.
Leong made the remarks when replying to media questions about a measure announced by the Hong Kong government earlier this week to expand its vaccine bubble to more venues next month.
Leong reaffirmed that vaccination against COVID-19 can reduce the risk of infection, and more importantly, can reduce the risk of suffering a serious condition or dying from the novel coronavirus disease, in case jabbed people are still infected with COVID-19. Leong underlined that vaccinations are an important COVID-19 prevention and control measure.
Leong said that if the Macau government would implement a jab-or-test measure for those entering certain venues and facilities and for certain events, it would be implemented first for those with a higher COVID-19 risk, such as restaurants and other eateries, cinemas, and concerts. Leong noted that people need to the remove their facemasks while eating, because of which restaurants and other eateries entail a higher risk of possible COVID-19 spread. Leong also noted that indoor venues and facilities where people normally stay for a longer time also involve a higher COVID-19 risk, such as cinemas and concerts.
Leong said that the novel coronavirus has been becoming more transmissible, namely due to the ongoing spread of the Omicron variant worldwide, because of which the local government is studying the possibility of implementing a mandatory jab-or test measure for those entering certain facilities and for certain events in Macau.
Leong urged unjabbed residents to get inoculated against COVID-19 as soon as possible, with the aim of avoiding inconvenience in case the government rolls out a jab-or-test measure.
Leong said that the Macau government will not roll out a jab-or-test measure for those entering certain facilities after the city is hit by new local COVID-19 cases, as it would be too late. However, Leong said that for the time being the local government does not have a timetable as to when such a jab-or-test measure will be rolled out.
Measure for air crew members
Meanwhile, Leong also noted that air crew members of planes flying to Macau from medium- or high-risk COVID-19 regions, namely foreign countries and Taiwan, are currently not allowed to leave the aircraft upon arrival in Macau. In case of special circumstances, Leong said, the crew members can leave the planes but are strictly prohibited from entering the airport terminals. According to Leong, the crew members must stay in the planes during the whole period when they are parked at the local airport, before the aircraft depart from Macau.
According to Leong, air crew members in planes flying to Macau from low-risk COVID-19 regions, namely cities in the mainland that are not affected by COVID-19, are required to be tested for the novel coronavirus every seven days. All air crew members flying to Macau from the mainland have been inoculated against COVID-19, Leong said.
Arrival from Vietnam has COVID-19
Meanwhile, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre announced in a statement last night that a 21-year-old local woman returning from Vietnam has tested positive for COVID-19.
The case has been classified as imported and asymptomatic, because of which it has not been added to Macau’s COVID-19 tally.
Consequently, as of last night, the city’s novel coronavirus tally remained at 79.
According to last night’s statement, the woman received two Sinopharm inactivated jabs, in November and last month respectively. She tested negative for COVID-19 in a nucleic acid test (NAT) in Vietnam, before flying to Singapore later that day. She caught a connecting flight from Singapore to Macau on Wednesday where she tested positive for the novel coronavirus upon arrival, after which she was transferred to the Health Bureau’s Public Health Clinical Centre in Coloane for quarantine. A follow-up test carried out yesterday, the statement said, confirmed her infection with the novel coronavirus.
6 Singapore-Macau flights affected by ban
Meanwhile, Leong said during yesterday’s press conference that six regular passenger flights in total from Singapore to Macau are slated to be cancelled due to the Macau government’s upcoming 15-day ban on all passenger flights from foreign countries, which will be in effect from Sunday to January 23, as there are currently three flights to Macau from Singapore every week. Leong said that normally each Singapore-Macau flight has had 10 to 20 passengers.
Leong also noted yesterday that while transfer flight service has been suspended at Taipei’s airport – because of which currently local residents can only return to Macau from foreign countries via Singapore’s airport, regular passenger flights are currently running between Macau and Taipei. Leong also said that local residents in foreign countries can choose to fly to cities in the mainland first as a way of getting to Macau, in which case they will be subject to quarantine measures by mainland health authorities first before returning to Macau.
Leong Iek Hou, who heads the Health Bureau’s (SSM) Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Division, addresses yesterday’s press conference about the city’s COVID-19 situation. Photo: GCS
