Lisbon taxi drivers describe struggles amid virus

(28 Mar 2020) Lisbon taxi drivers are struggling to earn a living during Portugal's virus lockdown, with tourists long gone and locals in mandatory or voluntary quarantine.
Only one week after Portugal declared a state of emergency, the new coronavirus outbreak has already hurt businesses.
Fernando Monteiro has been a taxi driver in Lisbon for a decade.
He used to make hundreds of euros a week, now he makes less than half of that.
With two children, he now relies primarily on his wife's fixed income to guarantee that the family can pay the bills.
With what he is making, he manages to cover basic expenses for his family.
He fears being exposed to the virus by dealing with strangers in a confined space and his own children remind of that.
But he said: "I cannot fail in providing in what way I can."
According to the Portuguese Taxi Federation, Lisbon has more than three thousand registered taxi drivers, from a total of 14,000 at a national scale.
The president of the taxi federation said the loss of drivers has already reached two thirds.
Portugal's government announced a financial support package following the state of emergency announcement that includes independent workers, such as taxi drivers.
But many of these men and women fear that the support package won't be enough or that it will take too long to attenuate the impact of the losses, especially if the state of emergency is extended for another two weeks.
As of Friday morning, Portugal had 4,268 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 76 deaths.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.
For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

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