COVID-19 pandemic in Macau
The COVID-19 pandemic in Macau was a part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case of the disease in the special administrative region of China was confirmed on 22 January 2020. The city saw nine more cases by 4 February, but no more cases until 15 March, when imported cases began to appear.[3] Stringent government measures[4] have included the 15-day closure of all 81 casinos in the territory in February 2020; in addition, effective 25 March, the territory disallowed connecting flights at its airport as well as entry by all non-residents (with the exception of residents of mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan), and from 6 April, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge was closed to public transport and most other traffic.
COVID-19 pandemic in Macau
The territory had not suffered a major outbreak of COVID-19 until June 2022, when a cluster of locally transmitted COVID-19 cases prompted the government to implement restrictions, including the closure of non-essential businesses and repeated rounds of mandatory mass testing of its entire population,[5] in line with mainland China's Zero-COVID policy (Portuguese: Meta Dinâmica de Infecção Zero).[6][7]
At a press conference on 5 January 2023, the Macau Health Bureau director Alvis Lo Iek Long stated that COVID-19 had become an endemic disease in Macau, and announced the cancellation of almost all entry curbs and measures. The statement followed a transition period that began on 8 December 2022 with the gradual easing of transmission curbs.[8][9]
Controversies[edit]
Free medical treatment for patients from mainland China[edit]
At a press conference in February 2020, Ho Iat Seng welcomed mainland Chinese people to make use of Macau's free medical service. This created controversy online, with users worrying that people from the mainland would come to Macau and spread the virus. Afterwards, Secretary for Administration and Justice Cheong Weng Chon (張永春) said that any patients from outside Macau who had COVID-19 would need to pay their own medical bills; they would be able to apply for a fee waiver, and the government would make a decision based on their financial situation and effects on the public.[119] The first recovered patient[120] was a businesswoman from Wuhan. The Health Bureau stated that medical fees for people from outside Macau were double the fees for locals. The patient had applied to waive 34,000 patacas in medical fees. Internet users investigated and said that in the photos of her leaving the hospital, a handbag could be seen worth 20,000 patacas, and that the hotel she stayed at was more than 1000 patacas a night, concluding that she could afford the medical fees. This created a significant controversy. The bureau said they would make a determination in accordance with the law.[121]
While in the hospital, the first confirmed patient requested hot dry noodles, a dish from Wuhan, so the hospital specially arranged a Hubei chef. When leaving the hospital there were more expenses, causing locals to envy the patient's "five-star service". This caused controversy on the internet in both Macau and Hong Kong. The director of Conde S. Januário Hospital Lei Wai Seng (李偉成) said that the hospital's goal is not to provide special meals to patients, but rather that nutrition is important for a patient's recovery; an inadequate nutrition would hinder recovery. He emphasised that all patients are treated equally with respect to meals, and that the cost of meals is included in the hospital bill.[122]
Closing the border[edit]
When Guangdong became the province with the second-most cases in China, Macau still had tens of thousands of people going to and from Zhuhai every day. Many people asked for the border to be closed, but the government repeatedly said that a complete closure was not possible. Ho Iat Seng said, "If we closed all the ports of entry, who would remove the trash? Who would handle security? How would we get fresh produce? These are the issues we're thinking about."[123][124]
Closing parks[edit]
In February 2020, in order to prevent spread of the virus, the government announced that all country parks and municipal parks would be closed, to avoid crowds and reduce the risk of infection. Some residents were unhappy with this, feeling that the risk of transmission in the suburbs was very low, and that staying at home for a long time without going outside to exercise would increase the risk of other diseases.[125] The Center for Disease Control and Prevention said that railings and similar could become a mode of transmission, that it's difficult to wear a mask when exercising, and that it's easy to end up starting a conversation if you run into a friend; these could all increase the risk of transmitting the virus. The government decided to close public recreation facilities in order to avoid community transmission.[126]
On 17 February, the government announced that casinos would reopen starting 20 February, but at the same time warned that the epidemic remained serious and advised residents to stay home and avoid going out. In addition, public parks and other public facilities would remain closed. In response, some residents questioned whether these measures and recommendations were contradictory, saying sarcastically that the government doesn't let people go to the park to exercise but does let them go to the casino to gamble.[127] The government responded that after an evaluation, the decision to reopen casinos was made to balance the needs of epidemic prevention and local workers' employment. When the casinos reopened, epidemic prevention measures would be required to protect the health of employees and guests.[128] In addition, the government announced on 19 February that some parks would reopen.[61]