The Health Bureau started to carry out one-off nucleic acid tests (NATs) for casino frontline workers – including dealers, cage workers and security guards – last Thursday.
Macao-Zhuhai cross-border commuters have to present a valid NAT certificate confirming that they have tested negative for COVID-19 within the past seven days – which is displayed on their Macao Health Code when entering Macao and on their Guangdong Health Code when entering Zhuhai.
Alvis Lo Iek Long, a clinical director of the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre, pointed out that the Health Bureau (SSM) decided that the casino workers’ NAT results were not displayed on their Macao Health Code previously with the aim of preventing large crowds at the Macao-Zhuhai border checkpoints as residents were still not familiar with converting their Macao Health Code into a Guangdong Health Code at that time. Lo said that the residents have now become more familiar with the conversion of the two health codes so that the Health Bureau has decided to roll out the new arrangement.
Lo also said that the Health Bureau tested about 4,000 casino frontline workers for COVID-19 per day from last Thursday to Saturday – 12,000 workers in total already tested.
Meanwhile, Lo also announced that a new testing station for the local government’s NAT scheme, which is located at the Macau Forum complex in Zape, will come into operation today, with the aim of diverting the flow of people from the programme’s main testing station at the Taipa Ferry Terminal in Pac On.
Lo said that four groups of local residents – senior citizens aged at least 65, minors aged below 18, people with disabilities, and those suffering from “special diseases” (namely infectious diseases, drug addiction, tumours and psychiatric diseases) – can also choose to undergo their nucleic acid tests at the Macau Forum testing station, in addition to choosing to undergo the tests at the programme’s main testing station in Pac On. Other Macao residents will still have to undergo their tests at Pac On after making an appointment.
(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)
PHOTO ©G3 Newswire
