Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng issued Executive Order No. 3/2023 on Saturday, which limits four types of “anti-epidemic medicines and supplies” that can be taken out of Macau in “excessive quantities” for personal use or as consumer goods, the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau said in a statement on the same day.
The executive order took effect yesterday, with the statement noting that the restrictions are necessary to ensure that enough anti-COVID-19 medicines and supplies will meet local demand, though shortages of the items in Macau had been “substantially relieved”.
The order limits the quantity of the items to be taken out of Macau to no more than five boxes or bottles of analgesics and antipyretic medicines, five boxes or bottles of cold and flu medicines, five boxes or bottles of antitussives and expectorants, and five boxes of rapid antigen tests (RATs), according to the statement.
The chief executive, the statement underlined, issued the order as a further measure to guarantee access to “essential anti-epidemic medicines” for members of the public, as well as to prevent an “excessive amount” of the medicines and supplies from being taken out of Macau.
Meanwhile, the statement pointed out that local residents who can provide a doctor’s prescription will not be affected by the restrictions.
The statement said that this is in consideration of local residents who are living outside of Macau or are visiting Macau for routine follow-up treatments who may require long-term medicines such as painkillers and cough medicines.
The statement urged them to have a valid prescription ready for verification when carrying large amounts of anti-epidemic medicines and supplies while leaving the city, according to the statement.
