source: An uncharacteristic quiet hangs over Buenos Aires’s usually bustling commercial districts as swine flu grips the Argentine capital.
Restaurants, shopping centres, hotels and theatres all report falling sales as deaths from H1N1 infection across the country reached 65.
“We are seeing a jump in telephone inquiries, but footfall in the shop is dead,” said Florencia Paulet, an assistant in the aptly named furniture store Me Quedo En Casa (I stay at home), located in the trendy Palermo district.
Local businesses fear that emergency health measures unveiled by the Buenos Aires health ministry last week could result in similar economic losses to those that occurred in Mexico City at the start of the swine flu outbreak.
Trade has halved over recent days, representing a weekly loss of around $150m, according to Luis María Peña, president of the association of hotels, restaurants, confectionary shops and cafés.
Businesses geared towards children are reporting the most severe impact. Cinemas reported a fall in ticket receipts of more than 33 per cent in a week. Internet cafés, sports centres, discotheques and theatres have seen a similar fall-off rate.
In the district of San Isidro, children under 18 have been banned from entering shopping centres until July 9. Nightclubs and gymnasiums have also closed their doors temporarily.
Provincial governments are now following suit. Mendoza, San Juan and Corrientes have ordered casinos and cinemas to remain shut for a fortnight. Argentina’s theatre association has also decided to close box offices for 10 days.
“I’ve had two children’s parties and a baptism cancelled at the last minute. The flu is terrible for business because parents are terrified and prefer to stay at home,” said Justina Maiz, a specialist children’s photographer.
Travel companies are also reporting widespread cancellations as an increasing number of countries issue health warnings against visiting Argentina.
Argentines themselves are holding off travelling as well. School graduates are being requested not to travel to the ski town of Bariloche, a popular end-of-term destination, for at least a fortnight.
Pharmacies are one of the few industries to see sales on the rise. Stocks of masks and alcohol gel are almost sold out across the country, leading some consumers to cross into neighbouring Chile and Uruguay to obtain them.
The antiviral Tamiflu medicine is the top seller. “Supplies are still available, but the problem is that we sell out in a flash,” said a pharmacist in Buenos Aires’s busy Palermo neighbourhood.
Business leaders have criticised the government for responding too slowly to the H1N1 outbreak. An estimated 100,000 people have contracted swine flu since the first cases appeared in Argentina in May, according to the national health ministry. Laboratory results put the figure at 2,485.
If the flu epidemic lasts for a month, the impact on the economy could amount to 0.5-0.6 per cent of GDP, equivalent to over 6.1bn pesos ($1.6bn, £990m), according to estimates by local analyst firm Orlando Ferreres. Other analysts put the figure at anywhere between 4bn and 10bn pesos.
Last week, health minister Graciela Ocana resigned, allegedly due to her frustration at not being able to introduce nationwide prevention measures earlier.
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, the president, has so far preferred to leave provincial and municipal governments to determine their own responses to the outbreak. To date, 11 of the country’s 23 provinces have declared a state of emergency, in addition to Buenos Aires.
The health ministry finally unveiled a 1bn-peso package of measures at the end of last week, most of which was meant for the distribution of Tamiflu.
Other measures include the introduction of paid leaves for pregnant women. Civil servants with young children have also been granted time off as schools close their doors on Wednesday, a week ahead of scheduled holidays.
Around 45,000 civil servants are off work in Buenos Aires, while private companies are reporting absentee levels of up to 15 per cent.
Congress is due to debate on Wednesday whether or not to bring forward parliament’s winter recess.
Share on Facebook
No recent related articles were found.
