Macau to scrap hotel quarantine for all arrivals from midnight

The hotel quarantine for overseas arrivals to Macau will be replaced with a five-day home quarantine from midnight tonight, health authorities today (Friday) announced in a statement.

Up to now, inbound travelers must undergo a five-day hotel quarantine plus three days of self-medical observation at home.

According to the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre, starting at midnight, arrivals from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and foreign countries who will undergo five days of home quarantine will first be assigned red codes for the first three days (day of arrival counts as Day 0).

They must do a nucleic acid test (NAT) on the third day, but first must also take a self-administered rapid antigen test (RAT) at home and upload the result. If their RAT results are negative, their health codes will turn yellow and will remain so after their NATs return negative. Failing to do the NAT will make their health codes turn back to red, the statement read.

On the last two days, they must do daily RATs; if the results on both days are negative, their health codes will then turn green, which means they can leave their home. However, for the following three days, despite having green health codes, they are barred from entering mainland China.

Arrivals who do not have a home in Macao will still need to undergo Covid-19 quarantine in a hotel.

MDT