Mainland China’s Covid-19 expert Liang Wannian says lowering disease category does not mean leaving the virus to run rampant and is aimed at controlling outbreaks more precisely and scientifically.
City
Health workers struggle to carry out their jobs in face of pandemic; up to 40% of staff at Kiang Wu Hospital and about a quarter of all public health service employees affected.
Health officials say more than 23,000 Covid-19 patients attended to at city’s 15 clinics since 12 December.
New directive focuses on “treatment” rather than “prevention” after nearly three years of sticking to a very strict zero-Covid policy.
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao says one quarter of local hospital workers have also tested positive and city’s contagion will peak this or next week.
Deceased was 79-year-old unvaccinated man suffering from underlying health problems.
New regulation spells end of quarantine in Macao after almost three years, however 72-hour NAT validity to enter city still needed.
Tertiary educational institutions to resume activities as scheduled on 3 January.
Industry associations concerned about possible lack of essential supplies; 90% of community network nursing homes currently registering infections.