Workers talked to The Macau Post Daily around noon yesterday outside Qingmao checkpoint when they were in a snaking queue for their nucleic acid tests (NATs), with most saying that they were required by their companies to get their test results before they could go to work.
The Health Bureau (SSM) announced on Tuesday that in order to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, starting today, casino workers as well as people who work in public places, such as construction workers, would need to obtain a 48-hour negative NAT result before they could enter their workplaces.
A local woman, surnamed Lai, who works in the catering sector, told The Macau Post Daily that she had arrived outside the testing station yesterday morning. However, Lai said, she left after she saw there were “too many” people queuing to have the test. Lai said she did not expect the number of people to increase in the afternoon, adding that she had already had her lunch at home before she went to the station again because she did not know how long she needed to wait to have her NAT. Lai underlined that not only casino and construction workers needed a 48-hour negative NAT result, but “almost all” sectors, including catering, require their employees to have their COVID-19 tests before they can enter their workplaces.
A casino worker, surnamed Lei, said that he had made an appointment on a website to have his NAT at 1 p.m. However, he added that “obviously” he could not have his test today (yesterday) because of the very long queue outside the testing station as he needed to work at 3 p.m. in Cotai. Lei said he was “angry” that he could not have his test for COVID-19 even though he had made an appointment on the website. Lei said he would not queue anymore, after which he left.
A construction worker who was in line ahead of Lei said he had gone to have his NAT at lunchtime. He said that he must have his test during his lunch break, otherwise, he could not get a result before he could enter his workplace tomorrow (this) morning. However, he said he did not expect that the long queue would wind through the park near the testing station when he arrived there.
Meanwhile, another casino worker who had been in the middle of the line, said that he had queued up for more than two hours, adding that he had brought a campstool with him so that he did not feel too tired. The man said he knew that there must be many people that would have to have their NAT today (yesterday) as almost all sectors require their employees to get tested, so he had prepared a campstool before he went to the NAT station.
Another worker complained to The Macau Post Daily that the scene was chaotic and that he did not even know where to queue up. He described the arrangements at the NAT station as messy, adding that there was no way for him to have his COVID-19 today (yesterday).
At about 1 p.m., workers lining up for their NATs described the queue as a “long snake”.
At 2:48 p.m., the government announced in a statement that the requirement for both casino and construction workers to get a negative NAT result every two days was abruptly cancelled, adding that instead the workers now only need to undergo a rapid antigen test (RAT) and submit the self-test result to the Macau Health Code app so that they can go to work.
Workers wait in a snaking queue at noon yesterday outside the nucleic acid test (NAT) station at Qingmao checkpoint. Photo: Yuki Lei
