Macao is clamping down on anyone trying to make a fast buck out of shortages of medicine in mainland China by limiting the amount that travellers can take across the border.
Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng issued an Executive Order on Saturday, limiting four types of “anti-epidemic medicines and supplies” that can be taken out of Macao in “excessive quantities” for personal use or as consumer goods, the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau has announced.
The executive order took effect yesterday, with the bureau noting that the restrictions are necessary to ensure that enough anti-Covid-19 medicines and supplies will meet local demand, though shortages of the items in Macao had been “substantially relieved”.
The order limits the quantity of the items to be taken out of Macao to no more than five boxes or bottles of analgesics and antipyretic medicines, five boxes or bottles of cold and flu medicines, five boxes or bottles of antitussives and expectorants, and five boxes of rapid antigen tests.
The chief executive issued the order as a further measure to guarantee access to “essential anti-epidemic medicines” for members of the public, as well as to prevent an “excessive amount” of the medicines and supplies from being taken out of Macao.
The bureau pointed out that local residents who can provide a doctor’s prescription will not be affected by the restrictions, adding that this is in consideration of local residents who are living outside of Macao or are visiting Macao for routine follow-up treatments who may require long-term medicines such as painkillers and cough medicines, The Macau Post Daily reported.
The statement urged them to have a valid prescription ready for verification when carrying large amounts of anti-epidemic medicines and supplies while leaving the city, according to the statement.
