Reopened shopping district sees few shoppers

Vendors at the reopened San Kio shopping district are struggling to get shoppers through the door, given the area’s recent cordoning off by health authorities due to disease control operations.
The area was placed under a 14-day lockdown when one of the four most recent patients diagnosed with Covid-19 works there. The workplace was not merely sanitized — the block was closed to the public as well.
Two days ago, the area was reopened.
However, business has not immediately bounced back, as vendors have reported reduced visitation and a lack of enthusiasm for spending. A shopkeeper said that sales have not yet resurged following the lockdown, but she was not sure if it was because of low confidence among consumers generally or in the district itself. She does not foresee revenue returning soon.
Furthermore, she disclosed that she had to dispose of a significant quantity of stock, as the lockdown from two weeks ago came down suddenly, costing her quite an amount of money.
Another vendor who sells fruits revealed that she lost MOP20,000 during the lockdown. She added that even her operator license was removed by the authorities out of hygiene concerns. She hopes confidence in the shopping area will return soon. AL