Taking into account “the most intense desire and most accentuated need” of family members to visit the users of the city’s residential care homes for senior citizens, rehabilitation centres and detoxification facilities with the arrival of the Winter Solstice, Christmas and New Year’s Eve, the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) said in a statement yesterday, after consulting the Health Bureau (SSM) and considering the needs of the respective family members and the demands of COVID-19 prevention and control measures, limited visitation to the facilities will be resumed from today.
Visitation to the city’s residential care homes and rehabilitation centres had been suspended since December 9 due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic development in Macau. Meanwhile, all service users were prohibited from leaving their respective residential care homes and rehabilitation centres.
According to the statement, each service user can receive just one visit per day, with the number of visitors limited to two and the maximum duration capped at 30 minutes.
Relatives or friends who intend to visit the users must submit their respective requests to the care homes at least 24 hours in advance, and their visit will only be allowed with the approval of the facilities and according to the schedule indicated, the statement noted, which added that the care homes can determine an appropriate maximum number of people visiting at the same time.
The statement underlined that visitors will be required to show their negative rapid antigen test (RAT) results valid for two hours, which are shown on their Macau Health Code upon entering the care homes. They will also be required to strictly comply with all COVID-19 prevention requirements, including showing their green Macau Health Code after scanning the venue codes of the premises, and undergoing a temperature check.
The statement also stressed that all visitors and service users must wear facemasks rated N95, KN95, or FFP2 at all times and keep a distance of at least a metre. During the visit, the statement added, they should not carry out any activities that require the removal of their facemasks, such as eating and drinking.
Visitors will be able to take in supplies to be delivered to residents after proper disinfection procedures, the statement said.
The bureau will revise and announce further arrangements in due course depending on the development of the COVID-19 pandemic, the statement said.
This undated file photo taken from Caritas Macau’s website yesterday shows its Sunshine Centre for people aged between 16 and 55 with disabilities, on Avenida de Artur Tamagnini Barbosa.
