Macau official counters WHO’s China Covid policy doubts

Macau’s “only choice” in tackling the threat of Covid-19 is to continue following China’s zero-tolerance approach, said on Wednesday Alvis Lo Iek Long (pictured in a file photo), director of Macau’s Health Bureau.

His comments came after the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) – the body that has coordinated the global response to the pandemic – queried on Tuesday whether China’s zero-tolerance approach was “sustainable considering the behaviour of the virus”. That was understood to be a reference to the novel coronavirus’ ability to mutate, leading to the emergence of variations able to spread very rapidly.

An investment analyst said in a memo on Macau casino operator Wynn Macau Ltd’s first-quarter results – which saw negative earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation – that he expected trading conditions for the local gaming sector to continue being difficult “unless China relaxes its zero-Covid policy”.

Macau health official Mr Lo’s defence of the national policy came in comments to local journalists when he attended a studio session of a talk show. It was hosted by the Chinese-language radio service of the city’s public broadcaster, TDM.

He was asked by journalists about some remarks from WHO boss, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reported on Tuesday. The WHO official suggested that the scientific knowledge gained since the start of the pandemic and the tools acquired to tackle to virus – including vaccines – offered opportunities for broadening public policy to tackle the threat.

Source: https://www.ggrasia.com/macau-official-counters-whos-china-covid-policy-doubts/