Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng has said that Macau must continue to stick to the “dynamic zero-COVID” approach, as otherwise quarantine-free travel arrangements between the city and the mainland cannot be maintained.
Ho made the remarks while speaking to reporters at The Plaza Restaurant in Zape on Friday after attending a reception hosted by the Macau Women’s General Association (commonly known as Fu Luen) to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8.
Replying to questions from reporters who asked on Friday whether Macau could gradually relax its COVID-19 prevention, entry and quarantine measures, Ho underlined that that Macau must continue to carry out its COVID-19 measures in close coordination with the mainland.
Ho pointed out that currently, on average, 350,000 exits and entries by residents, non-resident workers and visitors are recorded between Macau and the mainland every day.
“If we were to carry out another COVID-19 prevention approach that is not the same as in the mainland, it would be difficult to maintain the [quarantine-free] opening of our borders with the mainland,” Ho said.
Ho then asked rhetorically “does everyone want to see Macau’s [COVID-19] situation become like in Hong Kong currently.
‘Strong’ jab campaign for children
Meanwhile, Ho underlined the need for the local government to carry out its “strong” COVID-19 vaccination campaign for children.
Ho noted that the local government has not carried out “very tough” measures to push residents to get inoculated against COVID-19 as it still does not require those entering certain venues and facilities to have been inoculated against the novel coronavirus.
Ho was quick to add that the local government has to intensify its COVID-19 vaccination campaign for children, particularly after seeing that Hong Kong has reported several fatalities of children infected with COVID-19.
The protection of people’s lives always comes first, Ho said.
Outreach jab programme for kids
Meanwhile, the local government launched its outreach COVID-19 vaccination programme for kindergartens and primary schools on Saturday.
Health Bureau (SSM) officials told reporters on Saturday that around 6,300 out of about 60,000 children aged between 3 and 11 in Macau have been inoculated against COVID-19, representing a jab rate of merely around 10.8 percent, which they said was still very low.
Children aged between 3 and 11 in Macau have been covered by the government’s COVID-19 vaccination programme since late November when it lowered the minimum age for Sinopharm jabs from 12 to 3.
Two types of COVID-19 vaccines are currently available in Macau, China’s Sinopharm inactivated vaccine and Germany’s BioNTech mRNA vaccine. Currently, Sinopharm jabs are administered to those aged three or over in Macau, while BioNTech shots are given to those aged 12 or over.
The local government launched its outreach COVID-19 inoculation programme for secondary schools in September last year.
Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng (right) speaks to reporters at The Plaza Restaurant in Zape on Friday, as Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U looks on. Photo courtesy of TDM
