Macau cancels Covid-19 risk zones for mainland

The government said yesterday that it will cancel its regulations on risk zones in mainland China starting from today. In addition, all arrivals into Macau via the mainland, including from overseas, need to show a negative Covid-19 test conducted within the last 72 hours, versus 48 hours previously, the government said.

For the time being, people coming to Macau from places other than Zhuhai are required to present negative NAT results to facilitate boarding of transportation, be that flight, ferry or coach/bus.

The validity for this type of NAT negative results has been extended to 72 hours, with the change taking effect from midnight today.

Meanwhile, those entering Macau from Zhuhai are required to present NAT negative results with the same duration of validity.

Another major change welcoming tourists for the upcoming holiday season is that all categorizations of “risky areas” in China will be abandoned. Chinese locations are now identified as low-risk areas or areas of regular Covid-19 prevention based on their respective situation.

In terms of vaccination, the government announced that elderly people and children aged between five and 11 years will be permitted to obtain mRNA vaccination without prior booking at the Seac Pai Van Health Centre in Coloane.

Order will be determined by ticket distribution and services will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis.

Service hours are from 8:30am to 12:30pm and from 14:30pm to 17:30pm, on Mondays to Fridays. There will be no service on public holidays.

In addition, vaccination services will be provided at the Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion A from today. Although reservation is not mandatory, vaccine recipients with reservations will be prioritized.

Both the Sinopharm inactivated and the BioNTech mRNA vaccines will be provided at this station.

Service hours are from 10am to 6:30pm on all days.

Gov’t to add four Covid-19 clinics

The government announced yesterday that four more Covid-19 outpatient clinics will be added to provide greater convenience.

From today, the former Bairro Norte Luso-Chinese Primary School, the Largo do Pagode do Bazar and the Camões Garden Square will house three new community clinics. Tomorrow, another clinic will be added to Travessa Central da Praia Grande, next to the Grand Emperor Hotel.

At the same time, more consultation rooms will be added to the clinics at the Leisure Area in Rua da Pérola Oriental and the Macao Stadium Roundabout.

Due to the soaring number of positive cases in Macau, the government will transform the Macao Dome to a major community Covid-19 treatment center. With a larger area, the treatment center will be able to accommodate more patients.

To make the treatment center more accessible to those not driving or unable to drive, existing shuttle bus lines will see additional stops and extended routes.

Social media users have widely reported that many of their friends have tested positive for the virus, but not all are symptomatic. The Health Bureau (SSM) has decided that those not taken for hospitalization would be considered asymptomatic.

Two male patients, aged 56 and 63 years, both with chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, tuberculosis, neural stroke and cancer, have passed away with Covid-19, the SSM announced yesterday.

The younger patient had received three doses of the Covid-19 jabs, while the elder had received none. Staff Reporter