The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) said in a statement on Saturday that the food supply and prices in Macau have been kept stable as well as the supply of live and fresh food being “greatly increased” since the current COVID-19 outbreak with the coordination and support of Nam Yue (Group) Co. Ltd., Nam Kwong (Group) Company Limited and the local food sector.
The statement noted that “over 3,500 tonnes of vegetables, over 1,500 tonnes of fruit, over 9 million eggs and over 4,700 live pigs” have been supplied to the city since June 19, with the amount increased by 50 percent compared to the pre-pandemic amount.
The first case of Macau’s current COVID-19 outbreak was reported on June 18. Macau’s first COVID-19 case was confirmed on January 22, 2020.
Both companies and the local food sector, the statement added, have been coordinating their efforts to ensure the supply and quality of vegetables and frozen meat food packs delivered by the “subsistence team” to the households in “red zone” (locked-down) buildings during the outbreak.
Moreover, the statement emphasised the important role of cross-border drivers in ensuring the stable supply of live and fresh food to the city, adding that the bureau previously created multiple contingency plans with both companies, which have been launched since the current COVID-19 outbreak.
The statement added that both companies have implemented a strict closed-loop management for their drivers, who must also have nucleic acid tests (NATs) daily, have a valid green Macau Health Code and undergo temperature checks before starting their job. The drivers are also subject to the “three spots, one route” management, which the statement said means “one route connecting their place of residence, loading area and Macau”, and are required to conduct a daily disinfection of their lorries.
This undated handout photo provided by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) on Saturday shows a Nam Kwong (Group) Company Limited truck delivering comestibles to a location.
This handout photo taken and provided by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) on Saturday shows live and fresh food delivered to a market.
