The Macau government announced yesterday that from Monday 0:00 those who have completed their 14-day hotel quarantine after arriving in Macau from Hong Kong will have to practise seven days of “self-health management”.
Also effective from Monday, the Macau government will shorten its hotel quarantine period for arrivals from Taiwan from 21 days to 14 days, but they will also be subject to seven days of “self-health management” after completing the 14-day hotel quarantine.
Leong Iek Hou, who heads the Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Division of the Health Bureau (SSM), announced the new measures for arrivals from Hong Kong and Taiwan during yesterday’s regular press conference by the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre.
The Macau government’s requirement of 14-day hotel quarantine plus seven-day “self-health management” for arrivals from Hong Kong was implemented once in the past, between late March and late April last year, after which the government lifted the seven-day “self-health management” for them. Consequently, since then those arriving in Macau from Hong Kong have only had to undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine, which is still in force until Monday when the new measure takes effect.
The Macau government once implemented 21 days of hotel quarantine for arrivals from Hong Kong in the past, between late December 2020 and late March last year.
The Macau government extended its hotel quarantine period for arrivals from Taiwan from 14 days to 21 days in May last year, which means that since then those arriving in Macau from Taiwan have had to undergo 21 days of hotel quarantine, but without being required to practise “self-health management”, which is still in force until Monday when new measure takes effect.
The new measures that were announced yesterday and will take effect on Monday means that both Hong Kong and Taiwan arrivals will have to undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine plus seven days of “self-health management” upon their arrival here.
Leong said during yesterday’s press conference that from Monday those who have completed their 14-day hotel quarantine after arriving in Macau from Hong Kong or Taiwan will have to practise seven days of “strict self-health management”, according to which they must undergo four COVID-19 nucleic acid tests (NATs), on the first, second, fourth and last day of the period.
During the seven-day “self-health management” period, Leong said, they will not be allowed to enter the mainland from Macau. During the period, their Macau Health Code colour will indicate yellow.
Those with a yellow Macau Health Code are barred from entering certain premises and venues in the city, and using public transport.
HK arrivals must wait for NAT results available at HZMB checkpoint
Meanwhile, since 6 a.m. yesterday all those arriving in Macau from Hong Kong have to wait for the result of a COVID-19 nucleic acid test that is taken upon their arrival at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) checkpoint, before being transferred to one of the government’s “quarantine hotels” if they test negative for the novel coronavirus, or being transferred to the Health Bureau’s Public Health Clinical Centre in Coloane for isolation treatment if they test positive. The Macau government has said that normally it takes around six hours for the NAT results to be available after the travellers have their swabs collected. The government has also said that the new measure aims to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading in the city’s “quarantine hotels”.
Before 6 a.m. yesterday, those arriving in Macau from Hong Kong did not need to wait for their NAT results after having their swabs collected for the test upon their arrival at the HZMB checkpoint, and were taken to one of the government’s “quarantine hotels” first. Those whose tests came up with a positive result were then transferred from the hotel to the Public Health Clinical Centre.
Leong said during yesterday’s press conference that with the implementation of the new measure for Hong Kong arrivals that took effect at 6 a.m. yesterday, the Health Bureau has now been carrying out various special COVID-19 prevention measures for the staff and travellers at the HZMB checkpoint with the aim of reducing their risk of COVID-19 infection. According to Leong, one of the special measures is to ensure that the travellers arriving from Hong Kong keep “sufficient” distance between each other.
According to Leong, the Health Bureau once implemented such a measure – travellers from Hong Kong being required to wait for their NAT results at the HZMB checkpoint – in the past when Hong Kong was hit by an COVID-19 outbreak, and the requirement was cancelled when Hong Kong’s COVID-19 situation stabilised– so that travellers from Hong Kong had had no need to wait for their NAT results before 6 a.m. yesterday. Consequently, Leong said, the Health Bureau is “experienced” in carrying out such a measure for Hong Kong arrivals at the HZMB checkpoint, adding that the Macau government has decided to implement such a measure again due to the very serious current COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong.
Jab requirement for arrivals ‘legally justified’
Meanwhile, Leong also underlined that the Macau government mandatory’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement for arrivals from Hong Kong and Taiwan, which will also take effect on Monday, is legally justified.
Leong pointed out that according to Article 10 of the Law on the Prevention, Control and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, the local government can – for tackling potential threats to public health – require those arriving in Macau to report their state of health, undergo a medical examination, or present a vaccination certificate.
Leong noted that COVID-19 vaccinations can effectively reduce the risk of suffering a serious condition or dying from the novel coronavirus disease, because of which, she said, inoculations can ensure the protection of Macau’s medical system. Consequently, she said, the Health Bureau has concluded that it is proper to require arrivals to have been inoculated against COVID-19.
Leong also said that the Macau government will not rule out the possibility of also requiring arrivals from the mainland to have been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus in the future in line with the latest COVID-19 developments.
From Monday, all those aged 12 or over departing for Macau from Hong Kong and Taiwan will have to present a certificate confirming that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days prior – i.e., having developed basic full immunity, or a doctor’s certificate confirming that they are unable to be inoculated against the novel coronavirus.
Since October last year, all those aged 12 or over departing for Macau from a foreign country have been required to have been fully inoculated against the novel coronavirus.
Meanwhile, Leong also noted that Macau’s COVID-19 vaccination rate reached 75.4 percent yesterday – i.e., around three quarters of the population had received at least one jab
The official COVID-19 vaccination rate of 75.4 percent as of yesterday was calculated based on Macau’s population of 683,100 at the end of 2020.
According to the latest available demographics, Macau’s population stood at 682,300 at the end of September.
Leong also said that Macau’s COVID-19 inoculation rate stood at 77.3 percent of the population aged at least three, the minimum age for COVID-19 vaccinations in the city.
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
