MGM China will help 1,200 of its employees get vaccinated in a two-day community outreach programme held today (Monday) and tomorrow in cooperation with health authorities.
Some 600 of the gaming operator’s employees are expected to be inoculated each day in a vaccination centre opened at MGM Cotai, with this number the maximum capacity allowed by authorities.
According to MGM China President and CFO, Kenneth Xiaofeng, leave days will be provided to the employees that get vaccinated so that they “get a good rest”, with 40 per cent of the group’s employees said to have already been vaccinated.
“We will continue to talk to the government to see what kind of programmes we might continue to develop […] We will closely follow the government, directives to make sure more and more employees get the vaccine so that mainland visitors can have more and more confidence in visiting Macau,” Mr. Xiaofeng – who also got vaccinated today – said at the event.
Attending the event was also Health Bureau Director, Alvis Lo Iek Long, who indicated that MGM employees who get vaccinated via this initiative will either be able to get their required second dose 28 days after at the usual health centres if they deem it more convenient, but with authorities to evaluate if they can dispatch staff again to apply the second dose at the group’s properties.
A similar vaccination outreach initiative will be held by Sands China between May 31 and June 3.
Gaming operator Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited also announced last week that it will advance with a MOP16 million (US$2 million) ‘vaccination encouragement programme’ aimed at incentivising employees to be inoculated against Covid-19, with each staff that gets fully vaccinated to receive MOP1,000.
Inquired if he believed gaming operators should establish similar monetary incentives, Alvis Lo indicated that authorities supported any initiative undertaken by companies to incentivise their employees in getting vaccinated but that those policies did not “necessarily need to be monetary”.
As of today, a total of 93,566 people in Macau have been vaccinated with at least a dose of either Sinopharm or BioNTech vaccines, of which only 55,580 received the required two doses.
“The pandemic situation continues to be very serious all over the world, the best way for residents to protect their health is to be vaccinated […] We will make an effort to organise more convenient community outreach initiatives, ” Lo noted.
Last week the Health Bureau opened a large-scale community Covid-19 vaccination station will be set up at Forum Macao, able to innoculate 2,000 people per day.
“We are also contacting some universities. Any company wanting to hold a vaccination event can also contact us and we will organise one when all conditions are met, the Health Bureau noted.
“Some companies asked for similar outreach initiatives but their premises were not appropriate for it. We thank any companies that advance with any initiatives to motivate employees to get inoculated. This is something that also helps the companies image”
