Health authority hints Covid-19 is here to stay in the long-term

Macau must adapt its coronavirus response for the long-term, Dr. Alvis Lo Iek Long, medical director of the public Conde São Januário Hospital, said at yesterday’s daily health briefing in reference to the comment of a WHO expert, who said that Covid-19 was here to stay, like HIV/AIDS.
“Let’s assume that the disease may remain in existence like the flu with fluctuating severity,” Lo said. “That’s the reason why we have to change our mentality to long-term infection containment.”
“[But] we shouldn’t be too pessimistic” the doctor added, because “there may be a vaccination emerging.” Virologists, epidemiologists and scientists around the world have been working to invent a vaccination that is effective on the virus and safe to use.
The stance comes as primary education is due to resume soon. The Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) was represented at yesterday’s briefing by Leong I On, chief of the Division for Secondary, Technical and Vocational Education of the bureau. Leong explained that the border control measures affecting primary school students residing in Zhuhai but studying in Macau will be identical to those levied on secondary school students in a similar situation.
Currently, students in possession of a Macau ID card, Zhuhai or Zhongshan Residence Card, or student ID card, as well as a Green Health Code and a negative Covid-19 test result from the last seven days can cross the border freely without being quarantined for 14 days on either side of the border.
Student must undergo certain procedures to acquire this quarantine waiver status. “These students and an accompanying guardian should register their personal particulars with our bureau in advance,” Leong stated. “[With their consent], the information will be passed to the Unitary Police Service and the Macao Customs Service [to facilitate the border crossing].”
Leong stressed that the accompanying guardians should possess a verification document issued by their children’s schools to prove their relationship.
In addition, the DSEJ is again urging students currently outside of their regular residences in Macau, Zhuhai or Zhongshan to return to their residences in these cities as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the authorities have been in constant communication with their counterparts in Zhuhai and Zhongshan to ensure that all primary school students have a place to undergo mandatory Covid-19 viral testing on the mainland.
With regards to incoming tourists from Jilin Province, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center has been closely monitoring the situation in the province. Recently, the province reported some new Covid-19 cases which were believed to be the result of community transmission, causing another lockdown.
Replying on behalf of the Center, Dr. Leong Iek Hou, coordinator at the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the authority had tightened health supervision measures on tourists from the province.
“As far as we know, the only affected cities are Jilin and Shulan,” the coordinator said. “We have coordinated with border control [authorities] to gain information on whether tourists have been to the two cities.”
As border control measures were tightened during the start of the outbreak in Macau in late January and early February, causing a relatively long Lunar New Year holiday period, many had already arranged or even left on holiday. These individuals may still be overseas.
When asked whether these people have any means of renewing their Macau ID, Lo referred to the information posted on the website of the Identification Bureau (DSI), before explaining that “the DSI has online channels for inquiry and even document renewal.”