'Not an essential business': Ice cream vendor fears trucks could be unwittingly spreading coronavirus
As the U.S. grapples with the spread of the coronavirus, the playful sirens of ice cream trucks have become warning bells for some, who are growing frustrated the vehicles are still operating in states that have implemented stay-at-home measures, and in turn, could be unwittingly spreading infection.
Video Transcript
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SHARON FLOWERREE: I'm Sharon Flowerree, and I am an ice cream vendor here in Angleton, Texas.
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I have been in the ice cream vending business for over 20 years. My mom and stepdad have been in the vending business since the early '80s. And I grew up doing this.
I ended up closing down because our state ended up shutting down non-essential businesses. And I-- for one, I don't feel like ice cream is an essential business. I mean, it's essential to me.
I've seen numerous vendors out working. And I've seen negative Facebook posts about them working. And I mean, we all have to make our own decisions. And I understand that.
I personally feel that it's irresponsible of them. If somebody is working, they're definitely doing it because they're putting financial gain above safety. The difference between, say, a restaurant takeout where they just come out and hand it to you at your car is that kids tend to gather at the truck and people tend to gather, but more so the kids, especially tweens and teens.
The menu's on the side of the truck. And most kids, rather than reading out and telling you what they want, they all touch. Every one of them touches the picture. I want this one. And so they're not only all together, but they're all touching the same things over and over again, you know, the same areas.
And I just didn't feel that it was safe for them. I felt like I was safe, being in the truck, and I'm several feet away. But I didn't feel like it was safe for kids. And I didn't want to risk a whole group of kids ending up infected due to one person being there at the truck at the same time as them.
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