China’s National Health Commission (NHC) has announced has reduced its mandatory quarantine period for foreign arrivals from “7+3” days to “5+3” as part of a 20-point plan announced Friday.
The updated policy also sees a requirement for two negative nucleic acid (NAT) test results within 48-hours of boarding to the mainland reduced to one.
In response, Macau announced late Friday that it would also adopt the new “5+3” policy, meaning a reduced five days of hotel quarantine and three days of self-monitoring effective Saturday.
The same criteria will now apply for close contacts of positive cases in mainland China, while those leaving high risk areas will be permitted to isolate at home rather than in quarantine facilities.
Notably, mass testing will also be scrapped, replaced with citywide testing only in instances where there is no known source of infection.
While this latest development is unlikely to provide any boost in international visitation, it does represent the most significant step towards an end to China’s COVID-zero policy since the start of the pandemic.
It also comes on the back of Beijing announcing the resumption of eVisas and package tours to Macau – potentially providing a much-needed boost to the SAR’s embattled gaming and tourism operators.
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