Health and economic measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic- Effect on street vendors

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic affects human health and the global economy. Its evolution is unpredictable, making it hard for governments to provide response actions suited for all populations. Meanwhile, informal street workers carry on with their labor despite contingency measures to sustain their lives. The objective was to conduct a case-control study to become aware of how street vendors' economy is affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 Methodology: During phase 2 of the COVID-19 pandemic in a Mexican suburban city. We interviewed informal street vendors (cases) and formal employees (controls).
 Results: Before mobility restrictions were in place, population income came 1.5% from formal employment and 23.5% from informal employment (street vendors). Informal employees lived on less than the equivalent of 1.5 Big Macs per day (p <0.001). After the contingency measures, formal employment kept the same, while the informal employment ratio increased to 57.4% (p < 0.001). The street vendors were almost 100-times less likely to be concerned about the coronavirus outbreak (p < 0.001) and were 38-times less likely to stop working compared with the formal workers (p < 0.001).
 Conclusions: We have proven that street vendors are a sector of the population that is highly vulnerable to significant economic loss due to contingency measures. Informal workers cannot stop working despite the “Stay at Home” initiative because the government has not implemented strategies that guarantee their survival and their families. Therefore, street vendors continue to be a source of the virus's spread throughout cities.

One in Five Street Traditional Coffee Vendors Suffered from Depression During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Harar Town, Ethiopia

“…All these issues might have resulted in a myriad of mental problems in women engaged in traditional coffee vending during this crisis time. 34,35 Women, in particular, are at increased risk of mental disorders probably due to the lack of social support, high workload/family burden, and poor recognition. 36,37 In COVID-19 affected areas, women were found to be economically disadvantaged.…”

“…All these issues might have resulted in a myriad of mental problems in women engaged in traditional coffee vending during this crisis time. 34 , 35 …”

“I prefer to get coronavirus than to stop working”: the street vendor’s perspective

“…That could be due to the fact that more than 90% of the street vendors made a living with what they earned on a daily basis. Therefore, losing work was directly related to a lack of food, making it difficult for them to adhere to indications from the government and health sector [2].…”

“…Increasing measures of physical distancing needed to contain the virus have resulted in reduced income-generating activities for formal and informal workers. Attitudes toward the COVID-19 pandemic in persons whose work is occasional, poorly paid, or unstable, such as street vendors, are often different from those of individuals with formal jobs [2]. Street vending is not a new occupation, but it has expanded tremendously in public spaces of cities of all sizes, especially in developing countries, given that it is an activity that proliferates following economic crises [3].…”

COVID-19 Pandemic: Effect on Confidence Levels of Portuguese Towards People of Different Professions

“…This issue can be taking into consideration in future research, since the perception of aspects related to the pandemic can vary greatly depending on the degree of affectation, especially economic. 29 Future research based on longitudinal studies with the same participants should be carried out. Furthermore, understanding the confidence levels in professionals worldwide could be important to contribute to the standardization of actions in similar situations as the COVID-19 pandemic.…”