According to the Chief Executive’s Dispatch No. 139/2022, the closure of beauty salons, gyms, bars and other venues, as well as the suspension of dine-in service in food and beverage establishments, will be lifted starting from tomorrow (2 August). To cooperate with the implementation of the above measures, the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre announces the updates of the “Mask Wearing Requirements” and the “Measures to reduce the risk of transmission in workplaces during the stabilisation period of local epidemic” by the Health Bureau. Here’s a brief summary of the contents:
- Save for circumstances where mask removal is necessary (such as eating and drinking, smoking, playing instruments that require intentional expulsion of air, swimming, receiving medical or facial treatment services, doing high-intensity physical activities, etc.), all persons aged 3 years or above must wear a mask when they are present in a public place or taking public transport, whereas adults must wear a surgical mask or a higher standard mask;
- During the stabilisation period of the epidemic, venues shall particularly observe the following measures for service arrangements and staff management when operating: Online services should be encouraged; Supervise to ensure workers are complying with the anti-epidemic requirements; Monitor to make sure workers pay attention to the health condition of themselves and their housemates; When workers are at work or when they are outside their home after work, they should properly wear a surgical mask or a face mask above such standard at all times, except when eating or drinking.
- Beauty parlours, gyms, bars, food and beverage establishments and other venues shall require customers/service users to present proof of negative result or proof of sampling for COVID-19 nucleic acid test within 3 days (i.e. having a sample collected on the day of receiving the service or within the past two days). For example, if one has undergone sampling on 1 August, he/she will be allowed to enter relevant venues on 1, 2 and 3 August, regardless of when the result is out.
- With regard to service arrangements in premises, customers entering the premises must not be holders of a red Macao Health Code, and must have normal body temperature; Control the number of visitors entering the premises, to avoid overcrowding; Do not organize sales promotion activities that may lead to crowd gathering.
- If anyone in the work team or in the workspace is tested positive in nucleic acid test, the premises where such case has visited should suspend operation; and relevant worker should stay at the current space, suspend work, avoid going out, and wait for instructions from the authorities. Relevant worker should wait in different areas according to their risk level, and wear a mask properly while waiting. If suspension of operation is not possible, e.g. entities providing basic public services, stringent measures to reduce the risk of transmission should be adopted, such as requiring workers to undergo antigen testing and nucleic acid testing daily.
For more details on the relevant measures, please visit the Special Webpage Against Epidemics of the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Centre – Prevention Guidelines – Public – “Mask Wearing” (https://www.ssm.gov.mo/docs2/file/pv/hHjE7f4XwSqhYRAZ0cRilw/en) and “Measures to reduce the risk of transmission in workplaces during the stabilisation period of local epidemic” (https://www.ssm.gov.mo/docs2/file/pv/Uchp5zh8Il8VdbnOJLVgw/en).