ALTON – Empty tables and fruit carts fill an Alton pulga, after Hidalgo County and city declared a disaster, prohibiting gathering of more than 50 people as an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Michelle Vallejo, co-owner of Pulga Los Portales, says thousands depend on their services for survival. She added they have called vendors and shutdown its gates for safety, but business is not over yet.

“We are collecting an inventory list of what our vendors have and we are communicating with this organization. We are working directly with them. Also putting in time and organizing, taking in calls and requests. Some of them are delivering things and picking things up,” said Vallejo.

By selling items online, she hopes people will still buy from vendors, while Alton leaders voted unanimously to extend its disaster declaration for two weeks.

Watch the video above for the full story.