Non-local medical staff may be invited to help in makeshift hospital

If there is an outbreak in Macau necessitating the use of the makeshift hospital, non-local medical staff may be called upon to help, A&E doctor Lei Wai Seng, medical director of the public Conde São Januário Hospital, noted yesterday.

However, the medical doctor is confident about the capabilities of local medical practitioners, and hinted that non-local support will only be arranged when it is critically necessary.

He added that if there is a massive outbreak of Covid-19 in Macau, the situation in nearby regions may not be any better. Their medical capabilities will very likely run tight too, meaning that it will be difficult for them to give any support to Macau.

Officially referred to as the Novel Coronavirus Community Treatment Center, the makeshift hospital is located in and around the Macao East Asian Games Dome and in the Athletes Training and Internship Center.

The provisional facility is set to have a maximum capacity of 6,700 patients at full capacity. Lei stressed that the facility will only take in patients with mild to no symptoms. Those in a more severe condition – regardless of whether the condition worsens inside or outside the provisional facility – will be sent directly to the hospital.

He disclosed that in the Health Bureau’s (SSM) plan, 20 doctors and 40 to 50 nurses will be assigned to the facility in the early phase, adding that the WHO-classified Emergency Medical Team of Macao, China will the first to attend to patients there because its members are familiar with outbreak responses.

Lei revealed that if the epicenter of the outbreak is among senior citizens, the makeshift hospital will be equipped with a larger medical team, as some elderly patients may have lower mobility and need closer attention.

By contrast, if young people are the majority of patients, a smaller medical staff may be assigned to the provisional facility.

If the situation becomes too intense, home or hotel quarantine may be considered for less severe patients.

The current version of the makeshift hospital has 50 partitioned wards installed and has cost the government about MOP200,000. Lei explained that, although all the equipment is usable, the current scale is too small for an actual mass outbreak. The current setup is only for training purposes.

Following data demonstrating that the Omicron variant of SARS-
CoV-2 has milder symptoms but higher transmissibility, transporting patients to the remote facility may be of concern. Lei said that other entities, such as the Public Security Police Force, are assigned to handle this matter in the government’s contingencies.

When asked whether the Hong Kong mode of taxi transport will be considered, Lei said that the government will make appropriate decisions if that happens.

A new mode of prescription and medicine distribution will also be introduced at the makeshift hospital, Lei said. Packs of medication, including the famed Lianhua Chinese medical capsules, may be prescribed to users according to their need.

For example, close contacts will be required to wait for their test results at a designated area in the makeshift hospital. They may be prescribed with relevant medications while they wait because, if symptoms develop during this time, a medical doctor may not be able to see them right away.

The Community Treatment Center is divided into a hospital inside two coliseums, namely the Pavilion A of the Macao East Asia Games Dome and the Athletes Training and Internship Center, as well as a field hospital outside the coliseums, which include the Phase II of the Training and Internship Center and the parking lot of the Dome.

In addition, there are health inspection posts that carry out epidemiological research, sample collection, screening and sorting of contact and people with risks of all types. The Dome will also house makeshift laboratories that can handle nucleic acid tests.

At the Community Treatment Center there are areas for activities, rest, food and drinking water, offering meals, clothes and other consumables. Medical consultation services by telephone and videoconference will also be available.

The SSM have already prepared the necessary requirements for accommodation at the Community Treatment Center, including a list of recommended materials that patients are recommended to bring.

At the same time, to keep the Community Treatment Center functional, procedures have been developed for the management of materials, environmental disinfection and cleaning, IT technical support, food and waste treatment.

The selection of the provisional facility’s location took into account the remoteness of the venue, as well as the capacity to provide one-stop services such as screening, nucleic acid testing, care and treatment, the SSM highlighted.