Macao associations told Lusa that they believe the partial lockdown in Macao will last more than a week and lamented the loss of workers’ wages due to the tightening of measures to combat Covid-19.
“Whether it works or not, [o confinamento]it can last more than seven days,” said the president of the Community Development Initiative, former MP Au Kam-San, at the time that Macau closed, until July 18, all non-essential commercial activities, closed casinos and ordered the overwhelming majority of the population to stay home.
COVID-19. Macau virtually closed, anyone not wearing a mask risks arrest
If the number of positive cases does not decrease during the seven-day period of partial closure, and they are not enough, then the Government will try for another seven days,” said Au Kam-San, adding, shortly after: “if the it reduces the number of positive cases, and once it is effective, the Government will say yes (…) it must continue.”
In the announcement of partial confinement, the authorities stressed that employers are legally exempt from paying wageswith employees taking unpaid leave, or taking vacations.
This results in “significant financial losses”, not least because, for some workers who stop for seven days without pay, it is “a matter of survival”, said Au Kam-San.
“What measures has the government taken to allow their survival? What is the government’s plan?” she asked.
The already deputy and vice president of the Federation of Workers’ Associations, Lei Cheng I, stressed that, regardless of the time of confinement, there is a government response that must be given as soon as possible, because “nobody knows what will happen after these seven daysno one can calculate with 100% accuracy whether the community will be active after these seven days.”
The deputy and leader of the association expressed deep concern for the economy of Macau because “companies face losses or operational pressures during the partial lockdown. Workers are more directly affected by the fact that they legally take unpaid leave.”
“[Por essa razão] We want the Government to distribute aid to combat the epidemic”, he maintained, stressing that the authorities “need to optimize economic aid measures as soon as possible”.
“The later, the more inconvenience and hardship it will cause the population while their work is interrupted,” explained Lei Cheng I.
The leader of Caritas Macao, Paul Pun, despite expressing concern mainly for the most vulnerable people, said he agreed with the local policy, also recalling that “employers have no income during this period and cannot pay salaries”.
For this reason, “people have to be supportive of each other, and those who can afford it will do the best they can,” he said convinced, but expressing doubts that the general confinement will be maintained for this week.
Paul Pun pointed out that “the measure has an impact on the entire population”, but that “some groups with reduced mobility and vulnerability have to be of special concern”.
A new series of four rounds of massive tests on the population began on Sunday to control the current outbreak of Covid-19, which has left two dead and more than 1,500 infected.
Macao registers maximum daily number of Covid-19 cases, but rejects total confinement for now
With this new round, the number of mass tests will add ten in a single month.
The population is also required to perform daily antigen tests and upload the image with the result to an online platform. With few exceptions, people cannot go out on the street, except to carry out tests, in case of health emergencies or supermarkets, for example.
On the first day, the Police, who announced a reinforcement of surveillance in the streets, issued almost a thousand warnings and identified at least four people who were violating the determinations of the authorities, such as not wearing a mask, which can be translated in a penalty. up to two years, or a fine of up to 240 days.
Covid-19: Almost a thousand people alerted in Macau on the first day of partial confinement
Source: Observadora
