Covid-19 | Vaccine proof or negative NAT for restaurants, entertainment venues on the table

The city should buckle up early for vaccinated dining-in, though it remains too early to permit border crossings, a government doctor suggested at yesterday’s health press briefing.

Public health doctor Leong Iek Hou, division head for prevention and control of contagious disease at the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, disclosed that the government is contemplating the possibility of mandating a “vaccine bubble” – requiring people to provide proof of vaccination status before being permitted to enter catering establishments and other venues.

Concerns over when the measure will take effect were raised at the press briefing. The official did not provide a definitive response to these concerns, merely reiterating that the government is considering it as a possibility.

Leong attributed the need for the measure to the transmissibility of the new Omicron variant, stating that she did “not dare say that when there is an infection, there is only a single case.” 

As such, she said that implementing the vaccine bubble measure only after the detection of new case is likely to be too late to be effective.

“We won’t wait until there is a case to implement the [vaccine bubble] measure,” Leong proclaimed.

However, when asked about the need for vaccination for the purposes of border crossing, Leong did not give a direct answer as to whether measures will be put in place.

She stressed again that measures will be put into place according to the development of the pandemic. 

“If we see full vaccination across Macau, it will not be explicitly required for border crossing,” she said. “Otherwise, we won’t rule out the possibility of the measure.”

Individuals who cannot or do not want to receive the vaccine will, when the “vaccine bubble” measure takes effect, be required to show evidence of negative SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid test results in order to enter venues.

In addition, the public health doctor stated for the first time that the existing guidelines and measures are in effect due to the current pandemic. “All our disease control measures are in place as per the situation. If the necessity fades, they will be lifted, of course,” Leong said.

Leong was also questioned about the compulsory footprint registration measures by a journalist who said that she was asked to register her attendance upon entering the press briefing venue. The journalist said that she was asked to do so at other public venues.

The Health Bureau has reiterated the voluntary nature of footprint registration.

The public health doctor stressed that footprint registration is completely voluntary, stating that staff at public venues should encourage users to register their attendance but cannot force them to do so.

The transmissibility of omicron

Many reports have suggested that the Omicron variant is more transmissible but ultimately weaker than previous variants. 

At the press briefing, Leong agreed that while this was suggested by some studies, the reality of the situation was that the Omicron variant was still a variant of concern notwithstanding the fact that it is a weaker strain. 

“Looking at the reality across Europe and the US and their respective medical systems, in many places [health systems] are overloaded,” she said. “What does this mean? It means that a certain number of people require hospitalization, which indicates the occurrence of severe or even fatal cases.”

She added that the new variant may cause weaker symptoms but “it doesn’t mean that we don’t need to care about it.” The Omicron variant, she said, may still result in severe complications in the unvaccinated, elderly and patients with chronic diseases.

“With such strong transmissibility, even a 1% rate of severe cases will shock society in general,” Leong said, adding that for the time being, containment tactics will rely on prevention and control.

With that said, the UK announced yesterday that certain restrictions would be lifted despite the widespread incidence of new cases.

Quarantine hotel added despite ban

Liz Lam Tong Hou, division head of public relations at the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), announced yesterday that the Regency Art Hotel will resume its status today as a self-selected quarantine hotel.

A self-selected quarantine hotel requires the guests to pay for their accommodation regardless of their residency status or whether it is their first time staying at a quarantine hotel in Macau.

The announcement came after the government’s decision to ban incoming passengers from foreign flights from January 9. Government officials yesterday defended the need for an extra quarantine hotel.

All quarantine hotels are reportedly fully booked until the Lunar New Year.

Leong said that, although passengers will not enter Macau directly from jurisdictions outside Greater China by flight, “they can still fly into mainland China, quarantine there and enter Macau.”

Moreover, she initially said that returnees can also consider flying in via Taiwan. However, the island’s main international airport in Taoyuan has suspended transit services since May last year.

The official later clarified at the press briefing that she was referring to Macau residents currently located in Taiwan who may enter Macau, as there are still flights flying between the two jurisdictions.

mRNA jab suggested as booster shot

The Health Bureau, stating that it has followed suggestions by the World Health Organization (WHO), encourages individuals receiving the inactivated vaccines for the first two doses to receive an mRNA jab as their booster shot “in order to trigger higher antibody levels,” Dr Leong Iek Hou said.

However, the practice of receiving the inactivated vaccine as a booster shot for those who have already received inactivated vaccines as their first and second doses will be nevertheless be accepted by the local authorities.

The interval between receiving the second shot and booster shot will be shortened for individuals with an urgent need to travel, who may now receive the booster shot 12 weeks from their second jab.

Prior to the roll-out of the vaccine, it was initially thought that the vaccine would help prevent infection. It was subsequently thought that the vaccine would be able to prevent onset of the disease. The vaccine is now said to only be effective in reducing the number of severe cases and death.

At yesterday’s press briefing, Leong addressed the matter of the evolving understanding of vaccine efficacy, admitting for the first time that the use of the vaccine in reality differs from what scientists had initially expected.

She added that despite this, the vaccine is still very useful in avoiding the need for hospitalization, as well as reducing the severity of infection and death. “We should hold this belief firmly,” Leong said. AL