As of 6am on Tuesday (July 14) all people leaving Macau either by air or by ferry will need to present prior to departure a nucleic acid test certificate confirming a negative result for Covid-19 within seven days of their journey.
That is according to a Sunday announcement from the Macau government’s task force on Covid-19, known as the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre.
The statement said that the new measure is to protect the safety of transport workers and other passengers.
The announcement noted the test result could be displayed via Macau’s colour-coded health certification system for individuals.
The regular scheduled ferry service between Hong Kong and Macau has been suspended since early February at the request of the Hong Kong government, as part of countermeasures to the spread of Covid-19.
The volume of flights from Macau International Airport has also fallen sharply, which according to the facility’s operator is due to a decrease in passenger demand. In June, the volume was down 70 percent year-on-year, according to the airport company.
A special ferry link between Hong Kong’s airport and Macau’s Taipa Ferry Terminal at Pac On, which started on 17 June, will run until Thursday (July 16).
The special ferry link allows for quarantine-free transit at Hong Kong International Airport by Macau ID holders wishing to return home; although they have still been required on arrival in Macau to undergo a 14-day medical observation at designated hotels in the city.
The special ferry link is also available to foreign nationals who have been stranded in Macau due to the Covid-19 pandemic so that they can travel to Hong Kong’s airport to return to their home countries – also without having to undergo the quarantine in Hong Kong.
Macau ID holders who need to travel to a foreign country via a flight from Hong Kong’s airport can also use the special ferry service.
