ANCHORAGE (AP) - When the coronavirus pandemic began last year, Carolina Tolladay Vidal's pinata business in Alaska ground almost to a halt.

"Many of the projects I had were moved to other dates," she told Alaska Public Media on April 16. "Many were canceled."

Tolladay Vidal had to find fresh ideas to rejuvenate her Anchorage-based business and settled on making large, coronavirus-shaped pinatas.

After Tolladay Vidal posted a photograph of a homemade coronavirus pinata on social media, the orders started piling up, she said.

"I think you really smash them and break them and hit them with me...