Following about a month of shortened validity, Covid-19 test validity period will return to seven days for travel between Macau and Guangdong province from tomorrow, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center announced yesterday.
The update was made as conditions in Guangdong have gradually normalized and the “risk of outbreak has significantly decreased,” the center said.
About a month ago, the validity period of Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) results for travel between Macau and Guangdong was shortened drastically, from seven days to two. At that time, new cases of Covid-19 infections had been detected in several cities in Guangdong.
As normal validity period resumes, the center reminded travelers of the importance of bearing valid results. Failure to do so may cause inconvenience at border checkpoints.
Local residents will need to do the test on site and will only be accepted into Macau once a negative result is returned. Non-locals will simply be returned to Guangdong if they fail to produce the required valid result.
The health authorities emphasized that, when the new measure is implemented, the specific test date will not affect its use for Macau-Guangdong travel provided it is within the seven-day validity period.
For example, a negative test conducted July 5 will still be valid for Macau-Guangdong travel on July 10 once the new measure is implemented.
Macau ranks
Hong Kong less risky
Following a month without a new local case, Hong Kong was ranked by the center yesterday as having low to mid-level risk. However, this is not sufficient to allow free movement between the two Special Administrative Regions.
Dr Leong Iek Hou, a public health official at the center, explained that interactions between low-risk areas, such as Macau and mainland China, see fewer restrictions. For example, travelers only need negative NAT results to facilitate movement.
However, as Hong Kong is still not ranked a low-risk area, certain stricter measures, such as quarantine, still apply, although health self-management has been lifted since April. Further lifting of measures will require more observation, according to the Response and Coordination Center.
In addition, the center confirmed that Macau has sufficient quarantine hotel rooms to host incoming residents and travelers.
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