Covid-19 | Gov’t to allow foreign entrants from Hong Kong to Macau

Certain foreigners who have been in Hong Kong for at least 21 days will be allowed to enter Macau by application and with several conditions, Dr Leong Iek Hou, coordinator of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, announced yesterday.
These people must not have been to any other places except mainland China, Macau or Hong Kong in the 21 days prior to their application date.
The new measure will commence with applications opening on September 15. The first group of approved applicants will enter Macau on September 20 at the earliest.
Applicants above age 12 must present proof of full vaccination or a medical certificate showing that they are medically unable to be vaccinated. Upon arrival, all permitted entrants will need to show a negative Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction test result and will be quarantined centrally for 14 days.
Applicants in categories three and four – family members and those participating in important activities – must have their application initiated by a family member or the activity organizers in Macau, respectively. Applications can be submitted via the Health Bureau’s website.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam of Hong Kong announced this Tuesday the Come2HK scheme, under which arrivals from Macau will be permitted to enter Hong Kong without quarantine on arrival.
Questions on the matter were raised at the regular health press briefing yesterday.
Lei Tak Fai, head of the Public Relations Division of the Public Security Police Force, said that the authority does not yet have many details which can be released to the public. He added that, as per information publicly available, it is just a “plan, and the Hong Kong government has said that it will announce further details.”
Given that it is a policy of Hong Kong, Lei suggested the public stay tuned for further announcements from the Hong Kong government.
Asked whether returnees from Hong Kong on the Come2HK scheme will be quarantined upon arrival in Macau — a hot topic among the public — Lei said that, as per current health measures, they will be quarantined when they re-enter Macau.
On whether Macau will have a similar plan to boost interactions within the Greater Bay Area, Leong reiterated that Macau will follow mainland China’s lead on disease prevention and control measures, given the many interactions between the city and mainland China’s low-risk areas.
On the possibility of a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, the Health Bureau reiterated that more scientific data is needed before they can decide whether or not this is beneficial. Also, no authorities have officially permitted a third dose.

Mother of family now in recovery quarantine
The mother of the family of four diagnosed with Covid-19 in early August has recovered and was released from the public Conde de São Januário Hospital yesterday, Dr Tai Wa Hou, medical director of the hospital, announced yesterday.
Aged 43 years, she is the 63rd patient diagnosed with the disease in Macau, and now is the 62nd recovered patient. She is now in the Public Health Clinical Center for recovery quarantine. If all goes well, she will return to the community on October 7.
Tai said that during her hospitalization she experienced fever, headache and mild loss of her senses of taste and smell. She developed pneumonia during the onset of her disease but no signs of it have been detected recently.
Her husband is still hospitalized but her two children are now also in recovery quarantine.
When questioned about who will take care of the two teens, who are set to finish quarantine earlier than their mother, Tai responded that the Health Bureau is in touch with the Social Welfare Bureau. If the family has a need for childcare services, the latter bureau will offer assistance.
In addition, Tai added they have relatives who can take care of them.

Foreigners should fit into one of the five permitted categories:

Those possessing a permit of stay issued by a competent Macau authority.
Those possessing a non-resident worker condition or an endorsement of entry for work purposes issued by a competent Macau authority, as well as their family members who possess a permit of stay issued by a competent Macau authority.
Spouses or immediate family members of Macau residents.
Those entering Macau for the purpose of participating in important business, academic or professional activities.
Students who have been admitted by a Macau higher education institution.