The Macau government announced today that from May 27 non-local Portuguese nationals, i.e, those who do not have a Macau ID card, will once again be allowed to enter Macau, provided that they have stayed in Portugal, mainland China or Hong Kong for at least 21 days before their entry.
According to a statement by the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre, Portuguese nationals from the three areas can enter Macau from May 27 without prior authorisation by the local authorities. However, they need to undergo quarantine upon their arrival here.
The centre said that the non-local Portuguese nationals' exemption from the entry ban on foreign nationals without a local ID card was justified by the fact that the COVID-19 epidemic situation in Portugal is "moderate", and also because there's a need for the resumption of person-to-person exchanges between Macau and Portugal.
In response to the COVID-19 risk, Portuguese and other foreign nationals without a Macau ID card have been barred from entering Macau since March 2020. Only a few dozen waivers from the entry ban have been granted.
Macau's COVID-19 tally stands at 82, not including over 100 asymptomatic cases. No COVID-19 deaths have been reported in Macau.
Portuguese nationals arriving in Macau must present documentary proof that they have tested negative for the virus and been vaccinated against COVID-19. They also must prove that they have booked a room in a hotel officially designated for quarantine.
Currently, hotel quarantine lasts two weeks.
About 3,000 people from Portugal holding a local ID card are estimated by members of the community to live in Macau, which has a population of about 680,000. Over 100,000 Macau residents hold Portuguese passport, mostly ethnic Chinese.
Macau was under Portuguese administration for over four centuries until December 1999 when the People's Republic of China (PRC) established the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR).
Macau government source told The Macau Post Daily tonight that the current entry curbs on foreign nationals will possibly be further eased in the next few months, "if the right conditions are there," adding that nationals from other foreign countries "where the virus is no longer a major threat" could expect to have their entry ban lifted "step by step."
However, the source, who asked not to be named, stressed that the protection of the local population from the virus "must and will always have top priority".
