Addressing yesterday’s weekly press conference about Macau’s novel coronavirus situation, the Health Bureau’s (SSM) Control of Communicable Diseases and Surveillance of Diseases Department Coordinator Leong Iek Hou said that all runners in next month’s Macau International Marathon will have to be tested for COVID-19 before competing in the race.
Leong said that the Health Bureau is discussing the COVID-19 testing arrangements with the annual event’s organisers – the Sports Bureau (ID) and the General Association of Athletics of Macau, adding that it will soon announce the details of the testing arrangements.
The 39th edition of the annual event, which will be held on December 6, provides 12,000 places – 1,400 for the marathon, 4,800 for the half-marathon and 5,800 for the mini-marathon. All the places have been taken.
The event is titled-sponsored by gaming operator Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) for the 17th year.
Leong pointed out that according to the Health Bureau’s guidelines, athletes in all local sports contests, including the upcoming Macau International Marathon, are required to undergo a nucleic acid test (NAT) before competing.
When asked whether there would be enough time for the Health Bureau to arrange for all the about 12,000 runners to undergo the COVID-19 tests before the marathon – which will take place in less than two weeks, Leong noted that the NAT results have a validity of seven days so that the runners cannot be tested too early. Leong pointed out that currently Macau has a COVID-19 testing capability of almost 30,000 people per day, adding she believes that there will be enough time for all the runners to be tested before the upcoming event.
Macau has not recorded a new COVID-19 case for 150 days, while no local case has been confirmed in 239 days.
60 applications from foreigners for entry into Macau
Meanwhile, Leong also said during yesterday’s press conference that the Health Bureau has so far received 60 applications from foreign nationals claiming special circumstances for permission to enter Macau from the mainland, a new measure that will be implemented next month.
The Macau government announced early this month that under certain circumstances foreign nationals without a Macau ID card who intend to enter Macau from the mainland can begin to apply for exemptions from the Macau government’s current entry ban on foreigners, as long as they have been staying in the mainland for at least 14 days. The new measure, which will take effect next Tuesday, will cover 1) the spouse or offspring of a Macau resident, 2) non-resident workers (informally known as “blue-card” holders) or those who have obtained an official permit to work in Macau as a non-resident worker, and their family members who have obtained or are eligible to obtain a permit to stay in Macau, 3) those who have obtained a special permit to reside in Macau, 4) those who have been admitted to local higher education institutions, and 5) those visiting Macau for important commercial, academic or other professional activities.
Foreign visitors have been barred from entering Macau since March 18, and the entry ban was extended to foreign non-resident workers the next day. However, foreign nationals holding a Macau ID card are allowed to enter Macau. This means that all foreign nationals without a Macau ID card are currently barred from entering the city, regardless of where they have been before their intended entry into Macau.
The applicants allowed to enter Macau from the mainland will not have to undergo Macau’s 14-day quarantine but have to present a nucleic acid test (NAT) certificate confirming that they have tested negative for COVID-19 within the past seven days upon their arrival here.
Leong said yesterday that the 60 applications involve 76 people, comprising 21 spouses or offspring of Macau residents, 44 blue-card holders and their family members, and 11 people who have been admitted to local higher education institutions or those who intend to enter Macau for other reasons.
Leong said that the Health Bureau was still assessing the 60 applications.
Sourcing COVID-19 vaccines with different technological approaches
Meanwhile, Alvis Lo Iek Long, a clinical director of the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre, said during yesterday’s press conference that the Macau government has started discussing details about its purchase of COVID-19 vaccines with producers from the mainland and abroad which are widely expected to commence production of COVID-19 vaccines in the near future.
Lo underlined that the Macau government has been sourcing COVID-19 vaccines through various channels so it has contacted vaccine producers which have been developing COVID-19 vaccines based on different technological approaches, such as recombinant protein vaccines, nucleic acid vaccines and inactivated vaccines, for the possible purchase of the producers’ future COVID-19 vaccines.
24th round of facemask sales
Meanwhile, the 24th round of the government’s facemask purchase scheme will start on Saturday. The facemasks sold under the scheme are colloquially known as “government facemasks”.
Under the facemask purchase scheme, each local resident, non-resident worker and non-local student enrolled in Macau’s higher education institutions is entitled to buy 30 facemasks at the fixed price of 24 patacas every 30 days at designated outlets upon presentation of their original Macau ID card, work permit or student card.
Under the 30-day scheme, parents or legal guardians are entitled to buy 30 facemasks for each child aged between three and eight.
There will be 84 outlets for the upcoming round of the scheme which runs until December 27, comprising 57 designated pharmacies, eight health centres in Macau and Taipa and two health stations in Coloane run by the Health Bureau, as well as 17 so-called service points run by the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (Gung Luen), Macau General Union of Neighbourhood Associations (Kai Fong) and Macau Women’s General Association (Fu Luen).
160 million ‘government facemasks’ sold
Lo said that 160 million facemasks have been sold under the government’s facemask purchase scheme since its launch in January. Lo also said that fewer facemasks were sold in each of the recent three rounds of the scheme as it has become easier for residents to buy more reasonably priced facemasks in the private market as well.
Community-based COVID-19 control measures
Meanwhile, Lo reaffirmed that the local government has been studying how to implement the mainland-style community-based COVID-19 control measures in Macau – in case it confirms new local COVID-19 cases.
Lo said that the more accurate the community-based COVID-19 control measures are implemented, the less the operation of civil society and its economic activities would be affected.
Health Bureau (SSM) Control of Communicable Diseases and Surveillance of Diseases Department Coordinator Leong Iek Hou (left) speaks during yesterday’s press conference about the city’s novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, as Alvis Lo Iek Long, one of the three clinical directors of the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre, looks at his tablet computer. Photo: Tony Wong
