The Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre announced last night that from today all those in Macau who have been in Guangzhou or Foshan within the past 14 days are required to undergo a one-off nucleic acid test (NAT).

The measure takes effect at 9 a.m. today.

Those arriving in Macau from certain areas in Guangzhou and Foshan are currently required to undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine upon their arrival here, while those arriving from other areas in the two cities are still not subject to the Macau government’s quarantine requirement.

According to last night’s statement by the centre, the Health Bureau will send an SMS to all those who have been to Guangzhou or Foshan within the past 14 days, requiring them to undergo a nucleic acid test within a specified period of time. If they fail to undergo the test, which is free of charge, within the certain period of time, the statement said, their Macau Health Code colour will turn to yellow, until they complete the test which if it come up with a negative result –their health code colour will return to green.

According to the statement, the SMS will have a link directing them to a specific booking system to make an appointment for the free nucleic acid test. However, the statement said, the negative result of the one-off nucleic acid test cannot be used for crossing the Macau-mainland border. The statement noted that those who need to travel between Macau and the mainland have to book a nucleic acid test on the government’s appointment system for members of the general public – for which they have to pay a testing fee of 90 patacas each time.

The negative NAT result for those travelling between Macau and the mainland without having to undergo quarantine is valid for seven days.

The centre said in a follow-up statement issued at around 1 a.m. that all those who have been in Guangzhou or Foshan in the past 14 days must complete the nucleic acid test before 6 p.m. today.

14-day quarantine for arrivals from districts in Guangzhou, Foshan

Meanwhile, the Macau government has imposed its 14-day hotel quarantine on those who have been to Haizhu, Liwan, Nansha, Panyu or Yuexiu districts in Guangzhou, and Nanhai or Chancheng districts in Foshan, within the past 14 days.

Under the measure, which took effect at 6 p.m. yesterday, those who have been to one of the districts within the 14 days prior to their entry into Macau must undergo 14 days of quarantine and medical observation at one of the government’s “quarantine hotels” upon their arrival here. The centre announced the quarantine requirement for arrivals from the seven districts in the two cities in a statement yesterday afternoon.

Yesterday afternoon’s statement also urged residents to refrain from travelling to Guangzhou or Foshan, considering the “serious” COVID-19 epidemic in the two cities. The statement also said that those with their homes in Guangzhou or Foshan should defer returning to the two cities to visit their families or relatives.

The statement also urged local entities to suspend any unnecessary trips to Guangzhou or Foshan. The entities should ensure that their employees who have recently visited Guangzhou or Foshan always strictly adhere to COVID-19 prevention measures, such as to avoid interacting with others without wearing a facemask, the statement said.

Since about two weeks ago when Macau imposed its 14-day hotel quarantine on arrivals from a community in Guangzhou’s Liwan district, it had been adding more and more communities and subdistricts in the two cities to its 14-day quarantine requirement list, until yesterday when it imposed mandatory quarantine on arrivals from five whole districts in Guangzhou (which has 11 districts in total) and two whole districts in Foshan (which has five districts in total).

Last night’s statement by the centre also noted that those who travelled on a train which passed through Guangzhou South railway station, which is located in the city’s Panyu district, but did not enter the station are not subject to the Macau government’s latest quarantine requirement.

Govt toughen COVID-19 testing requirements for arrivals from 5 countries

Meanwhile, the centre announced in a statement on Friday that before boarding a flight to Macau (a direct flight to Macau or the first flight of a number of transit flights with Macau as the final destination), those who have been to Brazil, India, Nepal, Pakistan or the Philippines within the 28 days prior to their entry into Macau must present three nucleic acid test (NAT) certificates confirming that they have tested negative within the past seven days, and the three tests must be carried out at least 24 hours apart from each other.

The measure took effect at 00:00 on Saturday.

In addition, Friday’s statement said, travellers must also present a certificate confirming that they have tested negative for IgM antibody in a serology test, or a certificate confirming that they have been fully inoculated against COVID-19.

According to the statement, the certificates must be issued by testing institutions officially recognised by the Chinese embassy or consulates in the respective countries.

The last and third nucleic acid test must be carried out within 72 hours before boarding the flight, the statement said.

A medical worker yesterday collects a sample from a boy in Guangzhou’s Liwan district via an oropharyngeal swab at the building where he lives for a nucleic acid test (NAT). Photo: Xinhua