Zhuhai Is Charging Its Own Residents for Covid-19 Tests but Footing the Bill
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FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Kowie Geldenhuys EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paulo Coutinho www.macaudailytimes.com.mo FRIDAY T. 26º/ 31º Air Quality Good MOP 8.00 3534 “ THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ ” N.º 15 May 2020 HKD 10.00 THE EDUCATION AND YOUTH AFFAIRS HEALTH AUTHORITY HINTS CASINO OPERATORS GALAXY AND BUREAU LEARNED OF THE MOST RECENT MELCO REPORTED STEEP DECLINES IN CASE OF TEACHER DISMISSAL ONLY COVID-19 IS HERE TO STAY FIRST QUARTER REVENUE CAUSED BY THE FROM A COURT DECISION IN THE LONG-TERM ONSET OF THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS P2 P2 P4 AP PHOTO WHO An official said DOUBLE STANDARDS the debate between protecting health and Zhuhai is charging its own residents for Covid-19 tests but footing reviving economies is a “false dichotomy” and P3 that countries must the bill for Macau ID holders on the mainland. Why? remain vigilant as they lift restrictions. Takeshi Kasai, WHO’s Western Pacific director, said the reopening of economies shouldn’t be rushed and must be done cautiously. He said the world must “create a new normal in which we don’t have to choose between health and livelihood.” WHO also said yesterday that “this virus may never go away.” More on p6-7 Australia says it will continue to push for an inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus even if it hurts trade relations with China. Prime Minister Scott Morrison had been accused of playing “deputy sheriff” to the United States after calling for the inquiry. But he brushed off the criticism. “We have always been independent, we have always pursued our national interests, and we always will,” he told reporters. AP PHOTO Japan Experts on Japan’s coronavirus task force approved a government plan to lift a state of emergency in most areas ahead of schedule except for Tokyo and several other BLOOMBERG high-risk areas. Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said after the task force met that the experts approved lifting the emergency in 39 of the country’s 47 prefectures. Emergency measures would remain for eight others, including Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hokkaido, where risks still remain HK economy struggles to break free Why open a store? Chinese merchants high. from worst slump on record go livestreaming instead More on backpage P5 P10 page 2 www.macaudailytimes.com.mo MACAU 澳門 15.05.2020 fri MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER Health authority hints Covid-19 is here to stay in the long-term ANTHONY LAM province. Recently, the province reported some new Covid-19 ca- ACAU must adapt its co- ses which were believed to be the Mronavirus response for the result of community transmis- long-term, Dr. Alvis Lo Iek Long, sion, causing another lockdown. medical director of the public Replying on behalf of the Cen- Conde São Januário Hospital, said ter, Dr. Leong Iek Hou, coordina- at yesterday’s daily health briefing tor at the local Center for Disease in reference to the comment of a Control and Prevention, said that WHO expert, who said that Co- the authority had tightened heal- vid-19 was here to stay, like HIV/ th supervision measures on tou- AIDS. rists from the province. “Let’s assume that the disea- “As far as we know, the only af- se may remain in existence like fected cities are Jilin and Shulan,” the flu with fluctuating severity,” the coordinator said. “We have Lo said. “That’s the reason why coordinated with border control we have to change our mentality [authorities] to gain information to long-term infection contain- on whether tourists have been to ment.” the two cities.” “[But] we shouldn’t be too pes- As border control measures simistic” the doctor added, be- mary school students residing in quarantine waiver status. “These de of their regular residences in were tightened during the start of cause “there may be a vaccination Zhuhai but studying in Macau students and an accompanying Macau, Zhuhai or Zhongshan to the outbreak in Macau in late Ja- emerging.” Virologists, epidemio- will be identical to those levied on guardian should register their return to their residences in these nuary and early February, causing logists and scientists around the secondary school students in a si- personal particulars with our bu- cities as soon as possible. a relatively long Lunar New Year world have been working to in- milar situation. reau in advance,” Leong stated. Meanwhile, the authorities holiday period, many had already vent a vaccination that is effective Currently, students in posses- “[With their consent], the infor- have been in constant communi- arranged or even left on holiday. on the virus and safe to use. sion of a Macau ID card, Zhuhai mation will be passed to the Uni- cation with their counterparts in These individuals may still be The stance comes as primary or Zhongshan Residence Card, tary Police Service and the Macao Zhuhai and Zhongshan to ensure overseas. education is due to resume soon. or student ID card, as well as a Customs Service [to facilitate the that all primary school students When asked whether these The Education and Youth Affairs Green Health Code and a negative border crossing].” have a place to undergo manda- people have any means of re- Bureau (DSEJ) was represented Covid-19 test result from the last Leong stressed that the accom- tory Covid-19 viral testing on the newing their Macau ID, Lo refer- at yesterday’s briefing by Leong seven days can cross the border panying guardians should possess mainland. red to the information posted on I On, chief of the Division for freely without being quarantined a verification document issued by With regards to incoming tou- the website of the Identification Secondary, Technical and Voca- for 14 days on either side of the their children’s schools to prove rists from Jilin Province, the Novel Bureau (DSI), before explaining tional Education of the bureau. border. their relationship. Coronavirus Response and Coor- that “the DSI has online channels Leong explained that the border Student must undergo cer- In addition, the DSEJ is again dination Center has been closely for inquiry and even document control measures affecting pri- tain procedures to acquire this urging students currently outsi- monitoring the situation in the renewal.” RENATO MARQUES EDUCATION HE director of the TEducation and You- th Affairs Bureau (DSEJ), At least six cases of teacher MARQUES RENATO Lou Pak Sang, has ack- nowledged that the DSEJ has so far received six dismissal counted by DSEJ complaints from tea- appeal in the Court of more cases of this kind. cau’s Youth Policy was chers in relation to the Second Instance (TSI) Lou also said that the being prepared following payment of compensa- regarding the school’s DSEJ is currently gathe- an evaluation of the pre- tion for contract termi- improper use of the tea- ring more information vious plan (Macau Youth nation without cause. cher’s pension funds. The on all the cases reported Policy 2012-2020) which Lou made the acknow- school had used the tea- and will soon “issue gui- ends this year. ledgment yesterday as he cher’s co-participation delines to schools [on the According to Cheong, addressed the media on payments to the school’s topic].” those present at the mee- the sidelines of the ple- private welfare fund to The director stressed ting discussed the con- nary meeting of the You- pay due compensation schools must always res- tents of the new plan, th Affairs Committee. for the dismissal. This la- pect the labor law and which will have a public According to the di- test instance brings the follow its provisions. consultation period in rector, the six reports the number of cases up to at Meanwhile, also at the the last quarter of this DSEJ Director Lou Pak Sang DSEJ received were not least seven. plenary meeting of the year (Q4). related to the recently According to Lou, it Youth Affairs Commit- “The policy is going for the active presen- tions for the Youth Poli- disclosed case of the was only after the TSI’s tee, the head of DSEJ’s to be submitted for pu- tation of opinions on it cy.” same kind. decision was published Department of Youth, blic consultation in the from all social sectors so The new 10-year plan In the recent case, that the DSEJ became Cheong Man Fai, said fourth quarter of 2020,” we can have comprehen- will run from 2021 to a teacher from a local aware that there were that a new plan for Ma- Cheong said. “We hope sive strategies and solu- 2030. private school won an www.macaudailytimes.com.mo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (DIRECTOR)_Paulo Coutinho [email protected] A MACAU TIMES PUBLICATIONS LTD PUBLICATION MANAGING EDITOR_Daniel Beitler [email protected] CONTRIBUTING EDITORS_Leanda Lee, Severo Portela, Sheyla Zandonai ADMINISTRATOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Kowie Geldenhuys [email protected] NEWSROOM AND CONTRIBUTORS_Albano Martins, Annabel Jackson, Anthony Lam, Emilie Tran, Irene Sam, OFFICE MANAGER Juliana Cheang [email protected] REACHING OUT! 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