The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) said in a statement yesterday that in view of the development of the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Macau and in order to further enhance the health and safety protection of senior citizens and people with disabilities in the city’s residential care homes and rehabilitation centres, based on advice from the Health Bureau (SSM), from today all visitors will be required to wear facemasks of N95, KN95 or FFP2 when entering the facilities.
At the same time, the statement underlined, those entering the facilities should present a two-hour validated negative result for their rapid antigen test (RAT –“self test”) shown on their Macau Health Code, while undergoing a temperature check and scanning the venue QR code at the site.
According to the statement, the staff members of the residential care homes and rehabilitation centres, who are required to wear N95, KN95 or FFP2 facemasks during working hours, must undergo a nucleic acid test (NAT) and an RAT on alternate days before work.
Facility users who leave their residential care homes or rehabilitation centres and return on the same day should have an RAT immediately upon their return for five consecutive days from the following day, the statement said, adding that those returning to the facilities after being away for more than one day must present a 24-hour validated negative result for their NAT, while undergoing an RAT immediately for five consecutive days from the following day.
This undated file photo taken from Caritas Macau’s website yesterday shows the “Centro de Santa Margarida” rehabilitation centre on Rua de Tin Chon, for the disabled aged over 16.
