Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • More
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Our stance on climate change
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
Home Health & Medicine

Coronavirus in Italy — whole country on lockdown

Italy is the most-affected European country in the Covid-19 outbreak.

Mihai Andrei by Mihai Andrei
May 4, 2020
in Health & Medicine
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

Italy is on the verge of a country-wide lockdown as existing measures have proven insufficient to contain the virus. The country’s 60 million people will now be placed under quarantine.

All public gatherings are banned, including sport events, and people entering or leaving the country will need a good reason to do so. Everyone is urged to stay home as much as possible.

The lockdown will last until at least April 3, authorities say.

ADVERTISEMENT
Italy’s streets will be much emptier for the next few weeks.

Italy is the most affected country in all of Europe when it comes to Covid-19, and now, the country has implemented measures similar to what was happening in Wuhan when the outbreak first took shape. The entire country is essentially quarantined.

“We all must give something up for the good of Italy. We have to do it now, “said Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. “This is why I decided to adopt even more strong and severe measures to contain the advance… and protect the health of all citizens.”

People should stay at home, Conte added. But even if they don’t, there won’t be much to do in the cities.

Schools and universities are closed until April 3rd. Nightlife is essentially shut down. Pubs and restaurants must ensure a distance of at least 1 meter between clients. Passengers departing on flights will have to provide justification for their reason of travel — and all are advised against traveling unless necessary. Most cruise ships are banned. There are controls at train stations to check the temperatures of passengers.

ADVERTISEMENT

Public transportation is still functioning, but the Italian government is urging everyone to stay home for the next few weeks.

Italy is showing the world what the Covid-19 outbreak might look like outside China.

Italy’s story also carries a warning for the other plages: only by taking the outbreak seriously from the very start can we hope to contain it. At first, Italian politicians came in one after the other, boasting that everything is under control and no major measures are necessary.

Sorry to interrupt, but you should really...

...Join the ZME newsletter for amazing science news, features, and exclusive scoops. More than 40,000 subscribers can't be wrong.

   

“Milan carries on,” the mayor of Milan defiantly tweeted just 11 days ago.  Now, less than 2 weeks later, he has changed his tone. “Only by not minimising the situation,” he said, “can it be overcome.”

Trying to reduce panic is understandable: panic is unwarranted, unnecessary, and will make things much much worse. But it’s best for everyone if the outbreak is taken seriously, as soon as possible. Italy’s confusing communication strategy and lack of a clear plan has made things muc worse than they needed to be. Had the government been much more clear in its communication and much more proactive in its decisions, such an extreme measure might have not been necessary. Hopefully, this lesson will not be ignored.

Tags: coronavirus
ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Andrei's background is in geophysics, and he's been fascinated by it ever since he was a child. Feeling that there is a gap between scientists and the general audience, he started ZME Science -- and the results are what you see today.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • More

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • More
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Our stance on climate change
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.