Establishments are closing their businesses and laying off employees in Rio de Janeiro. In the state, there are already 109 cases of coronavirus infection.
Last Friday (20), in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in Ipanema, an award-winning ice cream shop, Vero, closed its operations. The store suffered the economic effects of the coronavirus.
Italian Andrea Panzacchi, owner of the store, closed its doors and had to lay off the 15 employees of his enterprise. The establishment was gearing up for the city's tenth anniversary in December. In Rio there are already 109 confirmed cases of infection by the virus.
“I think there was that illusion that it wouldn't make it this far. But I have relatives in Italy and I was seeing a much more serious situation. I started to worry well before the last week and to feel that it would be serious and that for the health of the people, those who work with me and the others, I would have to close”, said Andrea emotional.
Andrea made a deal with her employees, some who had been at the store since its inception. And he intends for the future, to reopen the ice cream shop, when the pandemic passes. He thinks that maybe the store can move to a cheaper place. Currently pays R$30 thousand in Visconde de Pirajá. “Maybe this is the time to reinvent yourself,” he said.
Staff fired at restaurant
In downtown Rio, employee Carolina Silva, from the restaurant by the kilo Bocca Bocca, noticed a significant drop in traffic since last week.
“We served many Petrobras employees, but as they were all working from home, it was empty. The movement has dropped a lot. On Monday (16), I arrived at 7 am to work until 4 pm. At 3:40 pm, the boss called us to the meeting and said that I and two other people would be fired. The next day, there were 12 more. All the employees,” she said.
A 27-year-old resident of Morro do Mandela, Carolina is also a bar girl and is used to working at events. “All were cancelled. All my friends who do events are also very concerned. This situation is very difficult”, lamented Carolina.
