The government announced yesterday that those in certain occupations such as restaurant staff, food deliverers, public bus drivers and taxi drivers who work this week must undergo a COVID-19 nucleic acid test (NAT) every day during the seven-day period.
The occupations are among the few sectors that will remain operational from today through Sunday during which all businesses in Macau must close except those essential for maintaining civil society’s normal functioning or residents’ daily lives.
The government also reaffirmed yesterday that the current outbreak appears to be going down as indicated by the smaller number of COVID-19 positive results from the latest round of citywide nucleic acid tests.
The government also announced yesterday that the latest tally of Macau’s current COVID-19 outbreak has increased by 93 cases to 1,467.
The government announced on Saturday the mandatory suspension of most businesses, including casinos, which took effect at 00:00 today and is slated to end at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.
The seven-day suspension, based on an executive order by Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng promulgated in the Official Gazette (BO) on Saturday, was announced by Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon during a press conference on Saturday about the viral menace.
Cheong stressed that the new measures are an order, not a recommendation. Anyone violating the order faces up to two years in jail or a hefty fine, he said.
Ho’s executive order says that the government has decided to implement the measures with the aim of preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The executive order states that in addition to the various entertainment venues that have been closed since June 23 – such as cinemas, beauty parlours, karaoke bars, nightclubs, snooker halls and hair salons, all other businesses must suspend operations from today through Sunday (July 17), except those in three circumstances.
Firstly, according to the executive order, those providing basic public services will stay open, such as water, electricity and natural gas utilities, fuel providers, telecom companies, public transport, and waste collection companies. Those that are needed to maintain civil society’s normal functioning will also remain operational, such as hotels, cleaning companies, property management, wholesale, and logistics companies.
Secondly, those that are needed to maintain residents’ daily lives will also remain open, such as wet markets, supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacies, and healthcare facilities.
Thirdly, the order states that exceptionally the government can allow other businesses to remain open as well.
Cheong noted on Saturday that according to an order that has been in force since June 23, restaurants’ dine-in services will continue to be prohibited, i.e., they are only allowed to sell takeaways.
Cheong also said that the media sector “cannot stop operating” because their operations are needed for residents to receive and understand COVID-19 information released by the government.
According to Saturday’s executive order, staff members of businesses allowed to stay open must ensure social distancing on premises where they work and require all those entering the premises to scan the respective venue code, i.e., the Macau Health Code’s visit-record function.
The order also requires everyone to only leave home for work, buying daily necessities or other urgent reasons.
According to the order, everyone must wear a facemask when going out, while all adults must wear a KN95 facemask or those of higher standards.
Cheong also said that as domestic helpers are considered “essential workers”, live-out domestic helpers are allowed to continue travelling to their employers’ home to work.
Cheong insisted that the measures do not amount to a citywide lockdown of the population.
All public administration services will be suspended during the seven-day period from today to Sunday except urgent and essential ones. In addition, banks will also be closed during the period, but urgent services will be provided.
Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai Nong pointed out during Saturday’s press conference that businesses ordered to close during the week-long period are not required by law to pay the salaries of their employees during that period.
Unitary Police Service (SPU) Commissioner-General Leong Man Cheong said during Saturday’s press conference that the police will reinforce their street patrols to ensure that people do not violate this week’s special measures. The police will also set up roadblocks and ask the drivers the reasons why they are going out. Leong also underlined that those violating the order promulgated on Saturday, including those failing to wear a KN95 facemask when going out, will face a prison term of up to two years or a fine.
The Transport Bureau (DSAT) also announced on Saturday that during the seven-day period from today through Sunday, only limited public bus services will be provided, and only those working for sectors that remain open this week are allowed to get on the buses.
According to a DSAT statement on Saturday, only 30 routes comprising 24 daytime routes and six overnight routes will be in service during the seven-day period, a change from the 86 routes in total hitherto.
According to the statement, those working for sectors that are allowed to stay open are issued a special permit by the respective public entities overseeing the respective sectors’ operations, for them to show to the bus driver when getting on a bus.
Public servants engaged in the government’s battle against the current COVID-19 outbreak can show their staff cards when catching a public bus.
Domestic helpers can show their “blue card”, which indicates that they are legally employed in Macau, when catching a bus, according to the statement.
During yesterday evening’s daily press conference about the viral threat, DSAT Director Kelvin Lam Sin San underlined that when taking a public bus, staff members of the respective sectors in the private sector must show a permit issued by the government, and cannot show their staff cards instead.
According to a Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre statement yesterday morning, 93 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases were reported between 00:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, raising the outbreak tally from 1,374 as of Friday night to 1,467 as of Saturday night.
The outbreak tally was up by 88 from 1,215 to 1,303 on Thursday, and up by 71 to 1,374 on Friday.
The government has launched four more rounds of mandatory citywide nucleic acid tests (NATs) to be carried out in eight days, which started yesterday.
Like previously, each of the four new rounds of the mass NAT drive, namely the current COVID-19 outbreak’s 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th will also run for 33 hours, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. the next day.
Everyone tested during the eighth round will be handed five COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits for self-testing, while they will be handed 10 KN95 facemasks during the nineth round, and they will be handed five rapid antigen test kits during the 10th round. Nothing will be handed out during the ongoing seventh round, which ends at 6 p.m. today.
From yesterday through Sunday, everyone must undergo a rapid antigen test every day.
Health Bureau (SSM) Director Alvis Lo Iek Long announced during yesterday’s press conference that in addition to restaurant staff, food deliverers, public bus drivers and taxi drivers, security, cleaning and building management staff who go to work from today through Sunday must also continue to undergo a COVID-19 nucleic acid test every day during the seven-day period.
Lo also urged the sectors’ employers to allow their employees to go to a NAT station while they are on duty.
Health Bureau (SSM) Director Alvis Lo Iek Long addresses yesterday’s press conference about the city’s current COVID-19 outbreak. Photo: Tony Wong
Residents queue to buy fruit at a stall in Rua da Praia do Manduco yesterday, commonly known as Ha Van in Cantonese. Photo: Yuki Lei
