Addressing yesterday’s regular press conference about Macau’s novel coronavirus situation, Luís Gomes, acting chief of the Non-Tertiary Education Department of the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), announced that all participants in the government’s annual summer activities will be required to have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days prior, as otherwise they will have to be tested for COVID-19 every seven days.
The summer activities take place in July and August every year. The new measure announced yesterday will take effect in July.
Gomes said that his bureau has been discussing the implementation of strengthened COVID-19 measures for students participating in activities and events that take place outside their respective schools, in the wake of the latest COVID-19 developments in neighbouring regions. Gomes said that the government has decided to roll out the jab-or-test measure for summer activity participants after comprehensively studying the matter and considering the city’s rising COVID-19 vaccination rate among schoolchildren.
In addition to participants in the government’s annual summer activities, which are jointly organised by the Education and Youth Development Bureau and the Sports Bureau (ID), according to Gomes, the new measure will also cover those attending extracurricular classes (aka interest classes) run by the Education and Youth Development Bureau’s various activity centres.
According to Gomes, the participants will have to display a Macau Health Code confirming that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days prior, i.e., having developed basic full immunity, when they attend the first class of their respective courses. Those who have not been fully inoculated against the novel coronavirus will have to present a nucleic acid test (NAT) certificate confirming a negative COVID-19 result valid for seven days, when attending every class of their respective courses, Gomes said.
In addition, Gomes said, the jab-or-test measure will also cover all those accompanying the participants during the activities, such as their parents.
Govt to require athletes of inter-school contests to be jabbed
Meanwhile, Gomes also announced that starting from the new school year of 2022/23, all athletes taking part in inter-school sports competitions will be required to have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days prior. Gomes said that his bureau will announce details of the measure before September. He did not mention whether athletes who have not been fully vaccinated will be allowed to participate in inter-school sports competitions by presenting an NAT certificate confirming a negative COVID-19 result.
Lianhua Qingwen TCM pills
Meanwhile, Leong Iek Hou, who heads the Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Division of the Health Bureau (SSM), underlined during yesterday’s press conference that Lianhua Qingwen (連花清瘟), a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) medicine used for COVID-19 treatment, has been officially approved by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for use in the market for COVID-19 treatment, which means the administration has officially recognised the medicine’s quality, safety and effectiveness, Leong said.
Lianhua Qingwen was first developed by a pharmaceutical manufacturer in the mainland in 2003 after the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak at that time. The medicine is provided in the form of pills.
Leong pointed out that Lianhua Qingwen has been officially listed by the mainland’s health authorities as one of TCM drugs used for treating mild or moderate COVID-19 cases.
Leong also said that the Macau Pharmaceutical Supervision and Administration Bureau (ISAF) has also authorised the importation and sales of Lianhua Qingwen pills in Macau.
Macau’s jab rate reaches 87 pct
Meanwhile, Leong said that Macau’s COVID-19 vaccination rate reached 87.3 percent at 4 p.m. yesterday, i.e., nearly seven eighths of the population had received at least one jab.
Leong reported Macau’s latest COVID-19 vaccination rates among different age groups. As of yesterday afternoon, according to Leong, the vaccination rates among different age groups were: 61.2 percent among those aged from 3 to 11; 80.3 percent among those aged between 12 and 19; 96.4 percent among those aged from 20 to 29; 99.9 percent among those aged between 30 and 39; 99.9 percent among those aged from 40 to 49; and 93.6 percent among those aged between 50 and 59.
According to Leong, as of yesterday afternoon the COVID-19 vaccination rate amongst senior citizens stood at 76.8 percent among those aged between 60 and 69; 68.4 percent amongst those aged from 70 to 79; and 44.2 percent amongst those aged 80 or over.
Leong said that Macau’s COVID-19 vaccination rates among children and senior citizens aged 70 or over are still relatively low, pointing out that it is these two groups of people who are more likely to suffer a serious condition or even die from the novel coronavirus disease. Consequently, Leong said, the government will continue with its campaign to boost COVID-19 vaccinations among children and senior citizens.
Luís Gomes, acting chief of the Education and Youth Development Bureau’s (DSEDJ) Non-Tertiary Education Department, addresses yesterday’s press conference about the city’s COVID-19 situation. Photo: GCS
