The government will not organize the central delivery of supplies for affected residents in the event of a mass outbreak of Covid-19 in Macau, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Elsie Ao Ieong U, disclosed yesterday.
The disease has triggered several rounds of lockdowns in many parts of the world. In Macau, as in several countries where there were local infections, the government would cordon off the affected blocks or residential buildings.
Supplies, such as food, were centrally organized and distributed to the affected residents.
Yesterday was the first time in which a senior government official revealed that no centralized supplies delivery would be arranged should the city see a massive outbreak of the disease.
If there is a mass outbreak in the city, the senior official forecasted, the government would not be able to deliver supplies to quarantined residents from door to door.
Instead, the affected residents would be allowed to visit the supermarket regularly to purchase groceries. Only one person from each household would be allowed on each visit to the supermarket.
Ao Ieong also forecasted that, “considering the city’s vaccination rate,” it is unlikely that there would be be a mass outbreak originating from a supermarket or a similar setting.
The senior official also hinted that Beijing would likely offer help if the city were to run out of registered medical staff during a projected mass outbreak. Earlier, officials at the Health Bureau (SSM) have implied this as well.
The period for the collection of samples for mass SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid tests (NATs) will also be shortened from the period allocated on the occasions of similar previous mass NAT testing. When questioned if this would pose greater risks, the senior official said that an additional number of venues would be assigned, lowering the number of people at each sample collection point.
Rapid antigen test will be introduced to support NATs. The government is almost ready in facilitating the uploading of antigen results to the Macao Health Code. Pet dormitories will be prepared as well.
