Editorial
The government’s decidedly swift response to this weekend’s COVID-19 outbreak is absolutely the right way to come to grips with the nasty virus.
I have only heard praise from friends, acquaintances and strangers about the government’s quick action to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. Mass nucleic acid testing stations were speedily set up on Sunday and many, if not most, restaurants have heeded the government’s advice to refrain from dine-in services and sell takeaways instead for the time being. I got tested at Sands on Sunday evening and bought my takeaway lunch from a hotel coffee shop yesterday afternoon.
In the building where I live a domestic helper and a couple were identified as close contacts of COVID-19 cases on Sunday and yesterday respectively. They were taken by ambulance to hospital for testing and observation. Last night, the management informed us on its “anti-epidemic information” board that the trio tested negative. Great! Our building management does deserve praise for how it handled the situation. Transparency is the best way to keep the usual rumour-mongers at bay.
As of last night, the latest outbreak had resulted in 36 cases, which raised Macau’s cumulative number of cases since January 2020 to 93 confirmed cases and 222 asymptomatic cases. No COVID-19 fatalities have been reported in Macau.
These figures are “quite something” for a city with a population of about 680,000 – I am quoting a media colleague from Hong Kong who made the appreciative remark when asking me last month about Macau’s COVID-19 statistics.
As of yesterday, Macau continued to be one of just nine countries and territories out of a total of 228 in the world whose COVID-19 death toll stood at zero, according to the worldometers.info real-time statistics website.
As someone who has just celebrated his 69th birthday, I am glad to live in a city whose government has given absolute priority to protecting life in its fight against COVID-19. Of course, this has resulted in economic difficulties but the government has been quite proactive in responding to hardships that both residents and businesses have been facing due to its anti-epidemic measures by granting a raft of financial support measures. Economic problems can eventually be fixed, loved ones who die of COVID-19 are gone forever.
I am optimistic that the current breakout can be swiftly brought under control and that at least in the medium term (let’s be realistic) Macau can gradually return to pre-pandemic normalcy.
For the time being, let’s all remain calm, be grateful to our health workers for taking good care of us, and always heed the government’s COVID-19 control and prevention rules such as always wearing facemasks when out and about – even when taking a lift or a taxi!
Better safe than sorry!
– Harald Brüning
