Mom using culinary skills to survive COVID-19 crisis

Irish Town resident Donna Origgio is one of the many small business operators facing an economic fallout from COVID-19.

The bar operator had to close her doors as the Government last month rolled out stringent measures to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.

"This is the first time I ever had to lock so long, and it's not just my kids I have depending on me, but my family as well. God provides for us, enuh, but right now tings kinda sticky," she said.

Mouths to feed

As a means to provide for her family, Origgio has turned to her culinary skills and is now preparing potato fries for sale to persons in her community.

Though she makes a $1,000 or less on most days, she said that she refuses to throw in the towel as she has mouths to feed.

"School is out now and most people staying home so mi nah make much off a it, but mi still come out a daytime same way, because I have kids to take care of. Mi always a try look work but mi never lucky enough to get, so that's why mi stick with the bar. I have to close now, but I understand still," she said.

With dozens of persons testing positive for the virus in Jamaica, Origgio says she continues to take extra precaution since she still works away from her home.

"I have always been sanitising and cleaning up, so this is nothing new for me. But I am taking extra precautions now. My bar 'straight', so mi always stock up on bleach and disinfectant and other cleaning agents. So now that the bar is closed, I have been using them at home and in my cookshop," she said.