GGRAsia – Covid sweeps Macau, coincides with Cotai F&B closures

Covid sweeps Macau, coincides with Cotai F&B closures

Dec 27, 2022 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck

A snapshot poll of the websites of Cotai casino resorts by GGRAsia indicates that for at least three of them, many food and beverage (F&B) outlets are currently closed.

No reasons are given. GGRAsia has approached those operators that have confirmed closures in online updates, asking if any of the suspensions are linked to staff shortages associated with a wave of Covid-19 infections in Macau.

On Friday it had been reported – citing Elsie Ao Ieong U, Macau’s Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture – that as of that time, around 115,000, or one-sixth, of the city’s inhabitants, had already tested ‘positive’ for Covid-19.

That had coincided with a recent relaxation of prevention rules led by changes to mainland China’s Covid-19 policy.

In the past few days, a number of the city’s shops and services – including a local telecom operator, CTM – has posted notices at outlets, advising the public of reduced operating hours or branch closure, due to staff sickness.

It had been reported on Tuesday that up to 40 percent of staff at the private-sector Kiang Wu Hospital in Macau had been infected with Covid-19.

And the city’s leader, Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng, had on Saturday – upon returning to Macau from Beijing after consultations with the national leadership – acknowledged that mass sickness in the local population had been putting some pressure on the running of public services, though he said they had been maintained up to then.

But by Tuesday, the government had announced that 22 public services were being temporarily suspended, including out-patient services at public health facilities, in order to reallocate staff to other tasks.

Of Cotai resort websites reviewed by GGRAsia, a number mentioned food and drink outlet closures, as well as the temporary suspension of some other facilities.

Galaxy Macau, run by Galaxy Resorts and Entertainment Ltd, gave details in a notice visible on Tuesday, titled “Updates on special operation arrangements” section, with the most recent information said to have been from Monday at 1.20pm

At least 16 food and drink outlets at Galaxy Macau were listed as being “temporarily closed until further notice”.

The notice did not clarify whether any of those places had been shut prior to Covid-19 rule relaxation, or whether staff shortages were a factor in their closure.

A further three outlets were listed as “temporarily closed from 25 to 27 December”.

For Galaxy Macau’s food court, Tastes of Asia, the notice said opening hours for the 11 outlets listed, were “subject to change without prior notice”.

Wynn Palace, run by Wynn Macau Ltd, continued to carry on Wednesday on its website, a notice most recently updated on Monday, saying: “We have adjusted the operating hours of, or closed, certain parts of our facilities”. It did not give a reason.

The notice mentioned nine food and drink outlets as “temporarily closed”. Also under that heading, were a spa, a salon and a gym.

City of Dreams Macau, run by Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd, said in a note headed “Operation hours update” – but which did not carry a date, but was still online on Wednesday – that nine food and drink places were “closed until further notice”.

MGM Cotai, under MGM China Holdings Ltd, said in an undated notice on its website – still online as of Wednesday – that five food and drink outlets were “temporarily closed until further notice”.

Neither the website of the Londoner Macao, nor that of the Venetian Macao or the Parisian Macao – properties run by Sands China Ltd – carried any update regarding food and drink opening hours. The same was the case with Grand Lisboa Palace, run by SJM Holdings Ltd.