MACAU, July 16 - Industries and commercial companies and venues in Macao will – with effect from after the stroke of midnight on Monday (18 July) – continue to suspend operation until the stroke of midnight at the start of 23 July 2022. Exemptions apply to three categories of activity deemed essential to the community and to the day-to-day lives of the members of the public.

The latest step is a continuation of suspension of similar activities from 11 July to 17 July inclusive. Such an anti-epidemic control measure has been effective in controlling the spread of COVID-19 in the community. The extension of suspension was published today via Executive Order No. 119/2022 in the Macao SAR Gazette. The Chief Executive issued the order in line with Law No. 2/2004 (Law on the Prevention, Control and Treatment of Infectious Diseases).

The three general categories of economic activity exempted from suspension are as follows:

1. Companies providing basic public services, i.e., suppliers of water, electricity, natural gas, and other fuel; telecommunication services; public transport; and waste collection. Also in this category are commercial services necessary to the functioning of the community, namely hotel and associated accommodation; cleaning services; property management; and companies and entities responsible for wholesaling or transporting day-to-day produce and goods.

2. Services deemed necessary for the daily lives of the members of the public, namely wet markets, supermarkets, restaurants, food and beverage establishments, pharmacies, and healthcare services.

3. Those companies, entities, and venues that have received approval to continue operations from their respective supervising authorities.

According to an earlier order (Executive Order No. 102/2022), a number of leisure facilities had been ordered to close with effect from 23 June 2022. They were: cinemas, theatres, indoor amusement parks, game centres, cybercafes, billiard rooms, bowling centres, saunas, massage parlours, beauty salons, gyms, health clubs, karaoke lounges, bars, nightclubs, discotheques, dance parlours, cabaret venues, hair salons, and swimming pools ordinarily open to the public.

Also from 23 June, dine-in services, either at restaurants or other food and beverage establishments, have been suspended. Takeaway food and drink services are not covered by the order.

Companies and entities excluded from the business suspension outlined in the latest Executive Order are required to continue to impose a limit on the number of patrons they can serve at any one time. They also have to ensure customers or other visitors maintain proper social distancing, and insist that all people entering their venues scan the venue QR code, so that it links to their Macao Health Code information.

In addition, the Executive Order instructs that all individuals continue to stay at home, unless their outings are necessary, i.e., for work in businesses exempted from closure, for grocery shopping, or in event of emergency. When outside, members of the public must wear a face mask, according to the Executive Order. Adults must wear either a KN95 face mask, or a face mask above such standard: minors may wear any form of protective face mask.

The Government thanks members of the public for their support regarding the anti-epidemic work being done; in particular for their compliance regarding the period of “relatively static” in place since 11 July. The Government is calling for continued concerted effort from the community, with a view to reducing to the lowest possible level non-essential movement in the community, and thereby to minimise the spread of the virus. These joint efforts would help realise the “dynamic zero-COVID-19” epidemic-control goal, and to enable resumption at the earliest opportunity of normal community life.