Covid Curbs Leaving Us 'swatting Flies': Vendors

Some wet market vendors said on Sunday their businesses had dropped as much as 90 per cent in view of the latest Covid-19 outbreak, as some markets have seen clusters of infections and dine-in services at restaurants had been banned.

A vendor who has a stall at Kwun Chung Market in Yau Ma Tei said he hardly had any business in the afternoons now as restaurants no longer had to buy food from him to serve dinners.

“There’re still residents nearby who buy from us, but it only makes up 10 to 20 per cent of our business. After the coronavirus outbreaks at some markets, the number of people who come has dropped further,” he said.

“Even when the government cuts our rents and subsidise our water and electricity bills, we’re still making losses,” he said.

A vendor who addressed the media also held up as mosquito swatter to highlight their plight, in a symbolic reference to a local adage which says that those without work will be reduced to swatting flies.

"The outbreak in some markets has made the situation even worse," said another vendor. "Many people do not come anymore. I'm afraid many vendors wont be able to maintain their business and close down their shop."

A Mong Kok district councillor, Chu Kong-wai, said some market vendors had been left out by the government’s effort to provide relief under the Anti-Epidemic Fund.

He urged the government to roll out another round of relief measures and help the market vendors.