VADODARA: Wary of the spike in coronavirus cases, shopkeepers in the Vadodara city seem to be mulling to go for a self-imposed lockdown. The Vadodara Vepari Vikas Association (VVVA) has appealed the shop owners to close their units by 2 pm every day. The association is also planning to take more such decisions after consulting all the members.
“The cases are on the rise in the city and shop-owners are at the maximum risk. Over the last few days, many shop owners, especially in the old city, have been infected with Covid-19 and are undergoing treatment. Even those working in these shops are getting infected,” said Paresh Parikh, convenor, VVVA. “So we have appealed the shop-owners to close their shops by 2 pm daily. This way, they can get some business and also ensure that their exposure to people is reduced. This is completely voluntary,” Parikh added.
The association is sending out messages to all the shop-owners urging them to follow all the Covid guidelines strictly. “The traders should ask every customer to enter the shop only after wearing a face mask and maintain maximum social distance. If we don’t follow the rules, the government may impose lockdown and it will be detrimental for our business,” Parikh said.