Briefs | Facemask rule to apply to casino workers for six more months

The requirement for all casino employees to wear facemasks while working, established by the government in January, has been extended for another six months until March next year. The extension was published on the government’s Official Gazette. The director of the Health Bureau, Lei Chin Ion, justified the need for continuing the mandatory rule because of concerns regarding the prevention of potential infections. When it was first implemented, the rule was valid for only one month. It was then renewed on a monthly basis until now. The new extension comes in preparation of the resumption of travel endorsements to Macau for all residents of the mainland, which started yesterday. Since mid-July, people that wish to enter any gaming facility need to provide a negative result of the nucleic acid test in addition to the existing requirements of undergoing a body-temperature check and presenting a Macau health code.

Sacred Art of St. Joseph’s Seminary closes for maintenance

The artworks included in the Treasure of Sacred Art of Saint Joseph’s Seminary are closing temporarily to the public due to maintenance works, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) informed in a statement. The artifacts will not be available for public visits from tomorrow and until an estimated date in late December. The closure comes to allow the performance of maintenance and repair works in the building facilities, including repairing leakages in the ceiling and walls.

Restaurants, retailers business performance fell in July

The performance of restaurants and retailer businesses in Macau continued to fall in July, but according to the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), both sectors were expecting a slight improvement in August. The latest report from DSEC indicated that 83% percent of the interviewed restaurants and similar establishments recorded a year-on-year decline in revenue in July, while just 12% of the interviewed restaurants reported a year-on-year rise. A similar proportion of interviewed retailers (84%) registered a year-on-year sales drop in July, a slight increase from the month before. Operators in both industries were expecting a slightly better situation for their businesses in August, according to the DSEC data release.