The Government firmly adheres to the principle – when hosting the 67th Macau Grand Prix – of taking all precautionary measures to prevent COVID-19 from resurging in the city, and reducing the risk of an outbreak of the disease locally.

The Government is taking all necessary steps to ensure the sporting event – scheduled to take place from 19 to 22 November – will not pose any additional risk of COVID-19 infection to the local community, nor create a heavy burden for the city’s healthcare system.

Deputy Director of the Sports Bureau, Ms Lam Lin Kio, detailed the measures that would be in place for the upcoming event, during Monday’s (5 October’s) regular press conference of the Government’s Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre.

The importance of the Macau Grand Prix to the city went beyond its relevance as a sporting competition. The event also had significant impact on the local economy and tourism, Ms Lam said.

The Government was currently finalising arrangements for the 67th Macau Grand Prix; an announcement on the topic was scheduled for mid-October. It was expected that a number of racing teams might review their decision to take part in the event due to the continuing developments of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, and in view of Macao’s epidemic-control measures, Ms Lam said.

Participants in the sporting event – namely ranging from racers to engineering staff either coming from Hong Kong, Taiwan or abroad – must have a valid nucleic acid test certificate proving freedom from COVID-19 infection. Such certificate must be produced upon arrival in Macao and when boarding a flight bound to Macao. Participants also must ensure they have not been in close contact with any confirmed COVID-19 patient.

Upon arrival in Macao, these participants would be taken directly from the relevant border checkpoint to a designated facility to undergo a 14-day period of medical observation. During that 14-day period, each participant would be tested for COVID-19 at least twice in order to ensure they were not infected with the disease, before taking part in the Macau Grand Prix.

Fans wishing to attend the event from the stands must present a valid ‘green’ code issued by the Macao Health Code system and have their body temperature taken, before being allowed into the event venue. Once inside the premises, they must wear a protective face mask at all times and ensure appropriate distance from others.

During Monday’s press conference, a Health Bureau official separately said the Government would continue to monitor the facilities set up at casino-resort premises for nucleic acid testing, in order to ensure such venues met all relevant standards. The official confirmed that the eight existing testing stations set up by the city’s six gaming concessionaires and sub-concessionaires had been approved by the local authorities. The facilities were being used for collecting testing samples only to be tested by CCIC Macau Company for the presence of the coronavirus. Results would be made available through the Macao Health Code system.

Since 2 October, Macao’s four designated COVID-19 testing sites offer an aggregate daily quota of 19,000 nucleic acid tests. The city’s overall testing capacity currently stood at 29,000 tests per day, which was considered to be enough to meet the testing needs of the public in Macao.

It was also announced on Monday’s press conference that the Government’s Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre would now hold a weekly press conference every Monday, replacing the previous practice of hosting two press conferences per week, namely on Mondays and Thursdays. The change followed Macao’s stable situation regarding COVID-19.

As of Monday, Macao had not recorded any new local COVID-19 case for 190 consecutive days.

There has been a total of 46 confirmed COVID-19 patients in Macao since the start of the pandemic and all of them have been released from medical care. Of the aggregate, 44 were classified as imported cases and two were associated with imported cases.

Macao has had zero COVID-19-related deaths and zero infections among medical staff.