Despite the recent fall in Covid-19 numbers, the Health Bureau has urged everyone in Macao to continue wearing a facemask when they are in public places during the current post-transition period, according to a set of guidelines published by the bureau on Saturday, officially known as Covid-19 Prevention and Control Principles After the Transition Period.
The bureau said that with the expected constant mutation of the novel coronavirus worldwide, Macao is expected to continue to be affected by the periodic occurrence of peaks of Covid-19 infections in the foreseeable future, like elsewhere in the world.
Healthy people who have been infected with or vaccinated against Covid-19 will normally have their antibody levels gradually decline three to six months afterwards, because of which they can be reinfected.
The implementation of the guidelines aims to minimise the impact of the new landscape where Covid-19 is endemic in Macao on people’s health and organisations’ operations.
According to the guidelines, people who come down with symptoms such as a fever, fatigue, myalgia (muscle pain), sore throat, nasal congestion, runny nose and cough can choose to self-test for Covid-19 with a rapid antigen test (RAT) kit, while those without symptoms are generally advised not to undergo a test.
Those who develop symptoms on the first or second day after being infected with Covid-19 will possibly still come up with a negative RAT result, in which case they are advised to undergo a RAT daily for two or three consecutive days.
Covid-19 carriers should rest at home as much as possible, and refrain from participating in gatherings and engaging in any activities where they cannot wear a facemask such as dining out. In addition, they should avoid catching public buses or Light Rail Transit; those who really need to travel around the city should properly wear a facemask during their ride. Covid-19 infectees with only mild symptoms can go to work.
Since Sunday, when the city’s anti-Covid-19 transition period ended, people in Macao have no longer been required to report their state of health by generating their Macao Health Code when entering any public venues in the city. The Macao Health Code ceased its red and yellow codes on Sunday, meaning that smartphone users always generate a green health code even though they report Covid-19 symptoms or contacts with Covid-19 carriers on the Macao Health Code.
The guidelines say that staff at public venues “should no longer” require those entering the premises to present a health code.
Public venues, such as government offices, businesses and other organisations, “generally do not need” to check the temperature of anyone entering their premises, except “key” venues such as care homes for senior citizens, rehabilitation care homes, day nurseries, schools, and the prison in Coloane.
Government entities, businesses and other organisations should not require their staff or visitors without symptoms to be tested for Covid-19, unless there is a special need.
Should there be any staff members who are suspected of having been infected with Covid-19 because of having come down with symptoms, especially those tasked with serving members of the public or taking care of senior citizens, the infirm or the sick, they should undergo a Covid-19 RAT, The Macau Post Daily reported.
