The Guangdong government will lift its 14-day quarantine requirement on all arrivals from Macau from tomorrow, the local government’s Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre announced in a statement last night.
The statement said that the Zhuhai government had notified its Macau counterpart of the new measure, which will start at 6 a.m. tomorrow, to “restore the normal movement of people between Guangdong and Macau”.
The statement said that the Guangdong government had decided that it will no longer impose its 14-day quarantine measure on “people entering the province via Guangdong-Macau border checkpoints after communications and discussions between the Guangdong and Macau governments so as to fulfil the central government’s decision and strategy to maintain [COVID-19] prevention and control work while pushing ahead with socioeconomic development”.
The statement said that the new measure was applicable to all arrivals from Macau, except confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients, those who have been in close contact with confirmed COVID-19 patients, those with a fever or any respiratory symptoms, and those who have been to a foreign country, Hong Kong or Taiwan within the 14 days prior to their intended entry into Guangdong.
The statement said that before crossing the Guangdong-Macau border, the travellers must undergo a nucleic acid test (NAT) at medical institutions recognised by the Guangdong or Macau authorities, activate their Macau Health Code and convert it into a Guangdong Health Code, and complete the mainland customs’ health declaration e-form.
When crossing the border, the travellers must show their green Guangdong Health Code which displays a valid NAT certificate confirming that they have tested negative for COVID-19 within the past seven days, the statement said, adding that those who do not have the NAT certificate displayed on their Guangdong Health Code can present a paper NAT certificate.
The statement also said that after entering Guangdong, the travellers must ensure that their mobile phones with a mainland phone number can always be contacted.
According to the statement, those who have entered Guangdong from Macau can only travel within the nine Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities in the province, namely Dongguan, Foshan, Guangzhou, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Shenzhen, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan and Zhuhai, while Macau residents who work or live in Guangdong and mainlanders who have returned to the province from Macau can travel within the whole province.
The statement said that those who have travelled beyond the permitted areas or violated other COVID-19 prevention and control rules in the province will have their eligibility to enter the province from Macau without undergoing quarantine cancelled.
The statement said that people who have entered the province for less than 14 days must declare their health condition on the Guangdong Health Code every day and properly carry out COVID-19 protection measures.
The statement also said that after arriving at their destinations, those who have a fixed residence or workplace must report their arrival to the community committees or village committees there in a timely manner. The statement said that the travellers should refrain from going out and participating in any activities involving crowds within the 14 days after entering the province.
The statement said that those who stay at a hotel must declare their health status to the hotel staff when checking in.
All travellers arriving in Guangdong from overseas as well as Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan have had to undergo 14 days of “concentrated” quarantine there since March 27. Border entry curbs between Macau and Zhuhai have been gradually relaxed since the implementation of the Guangdong government’s quarantine measure, such as quarantine waivers granted by the Zhuhai government to certain groups of Macau-Zhuhai cross-border commuters, and the special measure to allow Macau residents who need to cross the Macau-Zhuhai border for official purposes, business activities or other special reasons to apply for exemption from the 14-day quarantine requirement.
NAT proof for casino entry
Meanwhile, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre announced in a separate statement last night that the Macau government will toughen its COVID-19 prevention and control measures for local casinos from 00:00 tomorrow, coinciding with “the new entry and exit measures” between Guangdong and Macau.
The statement said that in addition to the continuation of the various ongoing COVID-19 prevention and control measures in casinos, from tomorrow staff must “strictly” implement the current measures for those entering casinos, namely checking their temperatures and requiring them to show their green Macau Health Code. The statement said that from tomorrow all those entering casinos must show a NAT certificate confirming that they have tested negative for COVID-19. The statement also said that the Macau government will order all casinos to improve their ventilation.
The statement also said that from tomorrow all those entering all resorts, hotels and guesthouses in the city must undergo a temperature check and show their green Macau Health Code.
NAT proof for HK arrivals
Meanwhile, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre announced in a statement yesterday afternoon that all those arriving in Macau from Hong Kong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) – including “Golden Bus” passengers, must present a NAT certificate confirming that they have tested negative for COVID-19 within the past seven days, otherwise they will be refused entry. The measure started at 6 p.m. yesterday. The statement pointed out that all arrivals who have been in Hong Kong within the 14 days prior to their entry into Macau must undergo 14 days of quarantine and medical observation at one of the government’s “quarantine hotels” – irrespective of their NAT certificate. The Macau government has implemented its 14-day quarantine on arrivals from Hong Kong since March 25.
The normal ferry service between Hong Kong and Macau has been suspended since early February due to the COVID-19 epidemic.
During yesterday evening’s Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre press conference, the Health Bureau’s (SSM) Control of Communicable Diseases and Surveillance of Diseases Department Coordinator Leong Iek Hou said that the Macau government has decided to implement the NAT certificate measure on arrivals from Hong Kong as that city’s COVID-19 epidemic has become serious.
Alvis Lo Iek Long, a clinical director of the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre said that the COVID-19 situation in Hong Kong was “worrying” as “many” new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed there in the past few days, and that’s why the Macau government has to implement further tougher measures on arrivals from Hong Kong.
Hong Kong yesterday confirmed 52 new COVID-19 cases, including 41 locally contracted cases. Hong Kong recorded its eighth’s novel coronavirus death yesterday.
Lo said that the new NAT certificate measure on arrivals from Hong Kong was needed to protect the safety of “Golden Bus” passengers and all Macau residents.
Macau lifts quarantine for arrivals from Beijing
Meanwhile, Leong announced that the Macau government yesterday lifted its quarantine requirement for all arrivals who have been in Beijing within the 14 days prior to their entry into Macau, after considering that the Beijing municipal authorities have implemented “very tough” measures to bring its COVID-19 epidemic under control. The Macau government imposed its 14-day quarantine on arrivals from Beijing around the middle of last month when the COVID-19 epidemic in the nation’s capital had become serious.
Leong also announced that arrivals who have been in Hubei province with the 14 days prior to their entry into Macau no longer need to show a medical certificate confirming that they have not been infected with the novel coronavirus disease – a measure which had been implemented since January.
Casino ban for those from Hubei lifted
Meanwhile, from today the Macau government lifts its casino entry ban on all those who have been in Hubei province within the past 14 days, according to an executive order by Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng published in the Official Gazette (BO) yesterday.
Leong pointed out that Hubei has not confirmed any new local COVID-19 cases for a long time so the Macau government has decided to lift the casino entry ban on those from Hubei.
No local COVID-19 case has been confirmed in Macau for 106 consecutive days.
Alvis Lo Iek Long (left), one of the three clinical directors of the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre, speaks during yesterday’s press conference about the city’s novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, as Health Bureau (SSM) Control of Communicable Diseases and Surveillance of Diseases Department Coordinator Leong Iek Hou looks on. Photo: Tony Wong
