Health authorities call for the suspension of private clinics

Health authorities are calling on physicians working in private clinics to suspend all activities.
The call comes as a way to “minimize the risk of an outbreak of novel coronavirus in the community,” as well as “to protect the health and life of the medical team and residents,” the New Coronavirus Contingency Coordination Center announced.
The health authorities explained that the measure aims to avoid the congregation of people seeking medical help for symptoms that might be related to the virus. The government department said that many private clinics are not prepared to screen and diagnose the condition. Meanwhile, infected patients seeking help might put other patients, as well as medical staff, at risk.
The Health Bureau (SSM) said it has already sent a message to all registered physicians practicing in Macau, calling for the suspension of their services “until the epidemic subsides.”
The health authorities explained that the fact that most of these private offices and clinics operate in residential buildings has contributed to the fear that people carrying the virus could introduce it into the building by using common facilities such as lifts and others. In these circumstances, “it is easy to cause a cross-infection and constitute a serious hidden danger to the community.”
The SSM is appealing to all healthcare professionals and clinic owners to “understand that the suspension of work will have only a temporary impact, with the main mission being to work together to fight the epidemic and protect the health and lives of residents.” RM