The validity period of COVID-19 tests for visitors crossing the border from Guangdong Province into Macau will return to seven days from Saturday.
The revised policy, which comes into effect from midnight, comes after Guangdong Province continued its run of no new local cases of the virus following an outbreak in late May.
Macau’s Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre said Thursday that since the risk of the COVID-19 pandemic in Guangdong Province had been reduced, and taking into account that not all age groups are eligible to be vaccinated, the validation period would apply to everyone whether they are vaccinated or not.
The announcement represents a second step forward in as many days with authorities having earlier this week lifted mandatory quarantine requirements for the last remaining areas of Guangdong Province. Ruili in Yunnan Province is now the only city in mainland China subject to quarantine upon arrival.
The validation period for COVID-19 tests had stood at just 48 hours since 8 June due to outbreaks of the virus in Guangzhou, Foshan and Shenzhen. Combined with the implementation of mandatory hotel quarantine for those from certain areas, the resulting dip in visitation to Macau saw June’s gross gaming revenue fall 37% month-on-month to MOP$6.54 billion (US$817.2 million).
