Covid-19 cases who are isolated at home can now access the Home Quarantine Information Network to get a better understanding of the precautions involved in Macao’s second phase of pandemic prevention and control measures.
The Social Welfare Bureau urged the public to help their neighbours in need and to take the initiative to assist anyone who has difficulty accessing the website. The website is available only in Chinese and Portuguese.
According to the website, those coming up with a positive rapid antigen test (RAT) result or positive nucleic acid test (NAT) result can conduct a self-assessment through the electronic platform, whose results will be displayed in four different colour-coded categories:
Green: for direct home isolation treatment
Yellow: for making an appointment with local community clinic
Orange: for going to the Community Treatment Centre at Macao East Asian Games Dome in Coloane for further triage
Red: to be transferred by ambulance for special emergency treatment to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre
The platform is available in Chinese, English and Portuguese.
The guidelines underline that those isolating at home should undergo a temperature check and self-health monitoring in the morning and again in the evening, adding that if their temperature exceeds 38.5°C, antipyretic drugs can be taken to lower their temperature, while cough and sore throat can be treated with symptomatic drugs.
Daily health reports are required through the electronic platform for medical staff members to know their condition.
Infected patients must undergo a RAT and upload the result to their Macao Health Code before going out. Patients should undergo a RAT on or after the fourth day of the course of the disease counting from the date the symptoms began to appear or the date when their RAT or NAT was positive for Covid-19.
Home quarantine for infected patients will be lifted when they have no obvious symptoms and their RAT has been negative twice on two consecutive days, or their NAT result is negative once, The Macau Post Daily reported.
During home isolation treatment, the guidelines point out, if the infected person has difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, his or her temperature remains higher than 38.5°C for more than three days after drug treatment or an original underlying medical condition is significantly aggravated, they should seek medical attention immediately and call an ambulance if necessary.
Children who appear lethargic, persistently refuse to eat, infants who have feeding difficulties, persistent diarrhoea or vomiting, or pregnant women who have symptoms such as a headache, dizziness, palpitation, and chest tightness, or abdominal pain, or abnormal foetal movement should see a doctor promptly.
