Health chief defends home quarantine method used by foreign workers

Macau’s Health Bureau chief has defended the home quarantine method for foreign workers, saying he disagreed with the doubts expressed over it and the discrimination against home-quarantined individuals who have recently tested positive for Covid-19.
During Friday’s press conference, Health Bureau Director Lei Chin Ion spoke about unfair suspicion experienced by a Filipino woman who was confirmed to have been infected with Covid-19 during her home quarantine. This woman is the 31st confirmed case of the virus registered in Macau. She lives in an apartment with six roommates, all of whom have tested negative for the virus.
Some of Macau’s public commentary has suggested that home quarantine is ineffective to prevent the transmission of the virus, since four infections have been confirmed from individuals under home quarantine, and this 31st patient has been living with six roommates.
As a medical professional and head of the health authority, Lei defended both home quarantine and the 31st patient.
“Some residents don’t believe home quarantine [is effective] because this woman lives in an apartment with six people. However, all these roommates have been tested negative,” said Lei.
“If there is an opinion that home quarantine is not effective, or if there is a loophole in home-quarantine measures, I can say that a strict home quarantine is the same as a hotel quarantine,” Lei noted.
The four patients were completely “locked up” during the quarantine period, Lei assured. JZ