As Massachusetts continues attempting to curb the unfold of COVID-19, companies are struggling to remain afloat.

Allan Rodriguez, co-owner of El Centro, a Mexican restaurant in Dedham, says the coronavirus disaster has hit his enterprise arduous.

“Gross sales dropped 90%,” he stated.

Rodriguez was attempting to remain constructive on the day earlier than Cinco de Mayo.

“Our gross sales really triple on that day,” he stated.

Like so many enterprise house owners, he would like to be re-opening on Could 18, Gov. Charlie Baker’s prolonged stay-at-home deadline. However he is aware of that is not going to occur.

“I do imagine it should be most likely on the 18th when they’ll most likely lengthen it one other couple of weeks,” he stated.

In actual fact, the Baker administration introduced Monday that Could 18 is definitely the day they’ll launch the phased plan to reopen. So Rodriguez has set his sights farther down the highway.

“I’ll say by mid-June, we’re going to be 50%,” he stated. “Again to regular, in my view, shall be most likely September/October, one thing like that.”

There’s some confusion. Swansea Nation Membership proprietor Larry Doyle thought Could 18 was a tentative reopen date and was planning accordingly.

“I am really hoping he would allow us to open even just a few days earlier than the 18th,” he stated.

Doyle is hoping he can salvage a few of his seasonal enterprise by being open at the very least a part of the summer season. His rearranged, socially-distanced eating room is able to go and he is absolutely stocked with masks and gloves.

“We’ll most likely lose at the very least half our revenues, even as soon as we’re in a position to open,” he stated.

Rodriguez can be prepared, beefing up takeout for now and pondering creatively in regards to the future.

“I do imagine, as a enterprise individual, that we’re in a coma. So we’ve got to determine after we get up, what are we going to do,” he stated.

Rodriguez says even after they do open, social distancing will seemingly imply 75% fewer tables. However he thinks he can cling on that means — at the very least for just a few months.