Authorities hint 14 days of ‘zero cases’ needed to reopen

Health authorities hinted yesterday that Macau needs to achieve the goal of having no new positive cases of Covid-19 in the community for 14 days to enjoy a significant reopening of venues as well as further border easing.

This information came out during yesterday’s daily briefing from the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center by the local coordinator of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Leong Iek Hou, who said, in response to media inquiries, that the criteria being followed by authorities are based on the maximum incubation period for the Omicron variant (seven days) doubled.

“We know that this Omicron variant has an incubation period that can go from two-three days up to a maximum of seven days. The safer way to ensure that the community is safe is if we combine two periods of the maximum incubation, as in 7+7,” Leong said, adding, that “this does not necessarily mean that we will [keep] the same measures in force for the whole period. We can progressively ease some measures and resume some activities, as long as the results continue to be progressively better. Only after the mass testing (scheduled for July 30 and 31) will we decide if there is the need to prolong this period of consolidation and, if so, for how long.”

This response indicates that people in Macau must be prepared for at least another week of the consolidation period (after July 29), in which very few changes to the current settings are likely.

As on previous occasions, Leong focused on the upcoming citywide mass testing results as the major factor which will contribute to the measures in place for next week.

Refusing to give a clear timeline for next week’s decisions, the same official said that authorities do not wish to deceive people by advising some policies too early and then having to change them at the last minute.

This idea of having to wait for two rounds of seven days without cases to ensure that society is virus-free comes as authorities report a third consecutive day without any new cases detected in the community. The two new cases added to the tally are from people who are under medical observation in quarantine hotels or red zones of confinement. The case tally stands at 1,816 cases since June 18.

At the same briefing, Leong announced that another 78 people undergoing treatment or observation in isolation have been released by the authorities as they are considered recovered from the infection. Among these, 31 were confirmed cases and another 47 had tested positive but had never developed any symptoms of the disease. The number of those considered recovered is now 1,065.

48h NAT being considered for venues unsuitable for mask use

Responding to a media question, Leong also mentioned that local authorities are considering whether venues where the wearing of face masks is not practical could reopen on the condition that those attending the venue present a valid nucleic acid test (NAT) every two days. This protocol would be similar to rules in effect on the mainland.

Leong elaborated that this measure could potentially allow venues such as gyms and other sports and leisure venues to reopen, as well as spas and beauty centers, and potentially lead to the reinstatement of dining in at restaurants, bars, and other food and beverage establishments.

But, the official warned, reopening will not come all at once but rather in a phased manner.

Leong also said that this would include changes to the current validity of NATs for people who need to perform work. That would change from the current 48 hours’ validity to “three, then four or five days,” she said.