Italy in the age of Coronavirus
I've been getting a lot of questions from folks about the situation in Italy, especially following the latest ordinance to place the entire country on lock down. I thought this might be the best platform to outline our reality right now.
First off: my little family is doing well. Schools have been closed since last week and will remain closed until April 3. Our 6 year old daughter's teachers have been sending video and voice messages through our parents' WhatsApp group as well as daily assignments so we can homeschool our kiddos. We try to get out at least for an hour or so everyday so she can blow off steam. We have her ride her scooter around, we are careful not to touch anything, and we keep our distance from other people - following recent recommendations, at least 1 meter. They have recently introduced stricter guidelines about who can be outside of their house and for what reason, so this may soon end.
My husband has been working from home as much as possible, and I am still home on medical leave recovering. We have it much easier than some of our friends with kids who need to also balance work, homeschooling, closed schools, childcare costs, and the general stress of this all.
Until recently, I had been in hospital structures since February 17. Heart surgery on February 18 and then transferred to a cardiac rehabilitation center on February 24.
My observations: since the first emergency was declared for Northern Italy in mid-February I've seen a noticeable shift in attitude towards the virus (including mine)! At first, folks were annoyed and baffled by the panic. Coronavirus dominated (and still dominates) the news cycle, but mostly during the past few weeks, the overall feel was, "This is ridiculous. So much fear, so much panic. What is going on?"
By the time I was discharged from the rehabilitation center on March 7, many new rules had been introduced in medical centers and hospitals including reduced visiting hours, reduced number of visitors allowed per patient, and we were going through several bottles of hand sanitizer a day per room. Upon discharge, when I tried to shake my doctor's hand to thank him, he politely stepped back, smiled, and gave me a little wave saying, "No more handshaking. New rules. All the best."
When news hit Monday that the whole country was under quarantine, my news feed was filled with messages of support for these new rules from my formerly skeptical Italian friends. The mentality has shifted from fear-based panic ("What will happen to me in all this?") to urgency of responsibility towards our most vulnerable citizens ("How do my actions help keep others safe?")
As for me, I need to get blood drawn weekly to adjust my coumadin levels, so it is necessary to leave the house. Originally, I was told the nearest center was about a 15 minute bus ride away, although I might be able to get blood drawn at the nearest hospital instead (a 10 minute walk) starting next week.
Here are a few pictures from the last couple days. Buses cordon off passengers, and allow entry only from the back door, so they are a safe distance away from the driver. (The man pictured is a public transportation employee who was training the new bus driver on the route).
Medical structures and pharmacies only allow one person in at a time, only if they have no cold/flu symptoms, and provide hand sanitizer as soon as they step in the door. Reminders are everywhere to keep the suggested 1 meter distance. People in masks and latex gloves everywhere.
If it weren't for the masks and gloves, walking around Florence is reminiscent of living here 10 years ago when there was still a "low season" in tourism. I haven't seen streets this empty in a decade, and instead of the multitude of languages you'd usually hear in the crowded streets and alleyways, Italian dominates now (specifically with a Florentine accent). It's obvious the city has cleared out of almost anyone who isn't local.
This spot on Lungarno della Zecca Vecchia is normally packed with large chartered tour buses and the sidewalk is usually so dense with tourists that you cannot pass without elbowing through the crowd:
I see my American friends on the other side of the ocean beginning to share different articles trying to calm the panic ("It's not so bad, certainly not as deadly as the regular flu, carry on as usual with a few lifestyle adjustments but don't sweat it"). While I definitely think there's no need to panic, I hope the US will soon shift to the urgent socially-minded mentality I've seen here in Italy. Remember that testing is widely available in Italy which is likely the reason behind so many reported cases. I've read news reports that testing in the US is largely inaccessible, so while the number of reported cases and deaths are comparably low, don't assume all cases and deaths have been reported. While most who are infected will have mild symptoms, the elderly and immunocompromised folks will be at a highest risk. As a recent heart patient, this includes me, as well as my asthmatic 6 year old.
Sending you all big air hugs (from at least 1 meter away) and lots of positivity as we all go through this together. Take care of yourselves! We are doing the same here.