The fee for a COVID-19 nucleic acid test (NAT) at the city’s seven regular testing stations has been further reduced to 55 patacas, which takes effect today, the government announced yesterday.
Hitherto, each COVID-19 nucleic acid test cost 70 patacas, which had been in force since October last year.
The 15-pataca NAT fee reduction was announced by Tai Wa Hou, a clinical director of the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre, during yesterday’s regular press conference by the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre.
The city currently has seven regular NAT stations, which comprise two run by Kuok Kim (Macau) Hygiene Examination Company Limited, namely the Macau Forum station in Zape and the Pac On station at the Taipa Ferry Terminal, three run by Guangdong Nam Yue Group, namely the station at the Qingmao checkpoint in Ilha Verde, the station at the Macau-side checkpoint zone of the mainland-Macau joint border checkpoint in Hengqin and the station at the Workers Stadium next to the Barrier Gate checkpoint, one run by the private Kiang Wu Hospital, and one run by the private Macau University of Science and Technology’s (MUST) University Hospital.
Tai described the 15-pataca NAT fee reduction as “good news”.
According to Tai, those who have already booked a test and paid the respective fee online will have a refund of the 15-pataca difference.
Since the launch of Macau’s regular NAT programme in May 2020 when each test cost 180 patacas, the testing fee has gradually been decreasing. Since then, the programme saw a number of fee reductions, namely 120 patacas in August 2020, 100 patacas in November 2020, 90 patacas in March last year, 80 patacas in June last year, and 70 patacas in October last year.
During yesterday evening’s press conference, Tai’s announcement of the 15-pataca fee reduction did not cover the Workers’ Stadium station, but the Health Bureau (SSM) announced in a statement last night that Nam Yue told the government after the press conference that it will also reduce the NAT fee to 55 patacas at the Workers Stadium station from today.
The Workers’ Stadium is owned by the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (Gung Luen), one of the city’s biggest community associations.
Guangdong Nam Yue Group and Guangzhou KingMed Diagnostics Group Company Limited are jointly running a laboratory for nucleic acid testing in Coloane’s Concórdia Industrial Park.
Nam Yue and KingMed run the COVID-19 NAT sampling station at the Workers’ Stadium with its owner Gung Luen.
New testing institution
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U told reporters last week that a number of new testing institutions are applying to the government to provide regular COVID-19 NAT services in the city, adding that she expected one of them to be able to start its services within this month after getting permission from the Health Bureau.
During yesterday’s press conference, Tai said that he expected the Health Bureau to approve an application from a new testing institution for its possible provision of regular NAT services soon. After getting permission, the testing institution would need some time to prepare the operation of a sampling station and a laboratory, because of which, he said, its regular NAT services are expected to be able to start at the end of this month.
Tai said he was confident that the new testing institution would offer an even lower NAT fee.
While the NAT fee in Macau is higher than in the mainland, it is significantly lower than in Hong Kong where each test costs up to 240 patacas.
Meanwhile, Lau Fong Chi, who heads the Communication and External Relations Department of the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO), announced during yesterday’s press conference that from now on foreign domestic helpers who have been granted permission to enter Macau can choose to stay at any of the city’s “special” quarantine hotels, which currently comprise Treasure Hotel and Regency Art Hotel in Taipa, for their COVID-19 medical observation upon their arrival in Macau, a change from the previous situation in which they only could chose Treasure Hotel, which is located opposite the airport.
Tai Wa Hou, a clinical director of the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre, addresses yesterday’s press conference about the city’s COVID-19 situation.
Photo: Tony Wong
