The beginning of the month was synonymous with promise. Allied to the reduction of the quarantine period for those coming from abroad, came the relaxation of border measures with Guangdong, with the nucleic acid test being valid for 7 days, instead of 72 hours. This last measure had an immediate impact, with the tourist flow increasing considerably in the first days of June.
Small and medium businesses smiled and it looked like the summer would keep that smile. The number of visitors and income from the game were decreasing compared to last year and this change with the neighboring province was important and allowed to attack the second semester, aiming to fill the losses.
However, a new outbreak of Covid-19 in Macau immediately changed this scenario. In addition to the usual mass testing, the validity of the tests for those coming from Guangdong has been extended to 48 hours, making entry very difficult. The zero-case policy is this: from one moment to the next, everything changes.
Forecasts and projections are a mere creative exercise without temporal or continuous validity, as they are never made with the ability to adapt to a reality that is too flexible and shifting. The law of the game is voted on and it is increasingly difficult to predict a scenario where this industry can survive if this paradigm is maintained. Is the domino effect being considered?
Gaming is the mother industry of Macau, the vast majority of other companies depend on its vitality and for foreign investment, currently, this does not seem to be attractive. The zero-case policy prioritizes the health of the population. If he hadn’t been active, who knows what would have happened in Macau, a city with an unusually dense population.
However, health protection is not limited to the virus, it has more contours and these are being ignored. Balance is almost impossible, but it must be thought through. Otherwise, we are facing an endless cycle, which in no way helps the economic recovery.
*Executive Director of PLATAFORMA
