Covid-19 virus hits the informal sector the most
The coronavirus is causing major disruption among those who work in the informal sector. This is estimated to employ around 59% of Dominican workers.
Street vendors, food stalls at the markets, trinket salespeople in tourist areas and those independent laborers who cut grass, trim hedges and clean up houses and gardens are the ones being most affected by the travel restriction, the curfew and the lack of clients for the most part.
As in the rest of the world, people here are asking “when will it end.” As of this writing, there are well over a hundred confirmed cases and one more fatality. In Santo Domingo, the main commercial streets and avenues, such as Churchill, Lincoln, Mella and Maximo Gomez are pretty much deserted. In addition, those vendors that typically service the large bus terminals on the way out of the capital, are also in dire straits, with few passengers traveling anywhere.
However, the very basic need for foodstuffs has been something of a boon for some markets, since people have continued to buy up staples for the coming week or weeks, forcing merchants to try and restock their stands and shelves.
According to one report, there is a curious lack of people at hospitals such as Marcelino Velez Santana, Dario Contreras and the Maternity center in Los Mina. With traffic down to a minimum, it is logical that the reporters did not find many people at the Dario Contreras, the nation’s largest trauma center.
Source: DR1, Elcaribe
Mar 23, 2020
Category: DR News |