European countries are experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases, but Italy, which has lived through a nightmare, is avoiding it: what have Italians learned?

But now, four months later, life in Italy – what US Vice President Mike Pence once called a country where “no one wants to be” – has returned to near-normal levels, despite isolated outbreaks. of coronaviruses that are largely associated with incoming countries. migrants or groups of people living nearby ”.

Mortality has almost stabilized at just over 35,000. and there are no more than ten new deaths a day. The total number of cases currently stands at 250,000. 103, the number of new cases is growing by only a few dozen a day.

Nightclubs and schools remain closed, protective masks are mandatory, and adherence to social distance is strictly controlled, although it is now mid-summer. People go to restaurants for dinner, enjoy a traditional afternoon aperitif or sit in the squares, go on vacation and generally move. This is almost a miracle, especially compared to the situation in countries like Brazil and the United States, where the pandemic is still out of control.

Before that horrible day in March, when nearly a thousand people were reported dead, rumors circulated about how Italians were ignoring the quarantine. There was talk of big dinners or how the whole condo guides the same dog so that only people can go out. Quarantine conditions at the time meant that all residents of the country, with the exception of workers doing essential jobs, could not be more than 300 meters from their homes.

People lost their jobs, businesses were affected, and children lost a great deal of precious time as the country’s poorly funded education system struggled to adapt to distance learning. But it was even more difficult to see images of the dead, crowded hospitals and people dying alone: ​​dear grandparents. This has caused great pain throughout the country and left a great scar for a long time, says Gianni Rezza, director of the National Institute of Health of Italy.

“During the first phase, the population reacted quite positively, but fear probably played its part,” he told CNN. “The images of coffins being transported by military trucks in Bergamo were brutal, and this was probably a clear indication that allowing the virus to circulate uncontrollably would put us in serious trouble.”

Withstood the storm

Little by little things got better from that horrible day. The daily number of new cases eventually leveled off and then declined to a negligible daily rate of infections. People took quarantine very seriously, they wore masks diligently and do so to this day. The country is slowly recovering.

Police have cracked down on the quarantine and civil protection officials have been patrolling the streets in cars and urging people to stay home through loudspeakers.

Then, in early May, the country began to gradually open up. Initially it was allowed to buy food to go, later it was also allowed to eat in the catering establishment. With each new proof of freedom, the health services verified the infectivity rate and prevented more businesses from opening if the number of cases increased. People have also been constantly warned that the quarantine could be reintroduced if the situation worsens.

The gyms have been carefully refurbished and the number of shoppers remains limited. Only 50 percent is allowed. trains, the public transport system is limited. Strictly controlled for people to wear the mask, and hand sanitizer can be found at every door.

The worst seems to be in the past. New infection cases are now mainly associated with hotspots in migrant camps or close-knit communities, but are strictly controlled by active testing tools.

July 23 Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza confirmed that the hard work has paid off. “I think Italy has weathered the storm. I’m not talking about the government, I’m talking about the whole country,” he said.

But the minister warned that it was not yet time to relax. “We were the first to suffer from the virus after China. We had no instructions on how to proceed. We had to find out about the virus ourselves,” he said. “I think we have to be open to ourselves: these have been the most difficult months in the history of our country since the Second World War “.

But while Italy is celebrating, keeping a safe distance, the Italian minister warned that not everyone is worse off in the past. “I am very concerned about the international situation,” he said, noting that “we have experienced the worst of the epidemic in the world.”

So what has helped a country like Italy, famous for its skepticism about anything reminiscent of the rule, to win a fight that no one seems to have come close to yet? The second wave has already hit Spain, France and Germany, and the first wave hasn’t even ended in the UK and the US.

Journalist and writer Beppe Severgnini told CNN that Italian “Italianness” was to blame for all this. “We managed because we found other resources that have always been here: realism, ingenuity, large families, solidarity and memories,” he told CNN. – In Italy, the rules are followed or not differently than in the rest of the world. We believe that it is an insult to our minds to follow a rule without first questioning it. “

Therefore, when on March 10. The Italian government introduced a draconian quarantine, according to Mr. Severgnini, Italians believed in the rule. “For COVID-19, we decided that quarantine was a logical solution, so there was no need to force people to comply,” he explained.

Political will

Many believe that the decision of Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who has no political affiliation with any particular party, to “not play politics” has been a significant contribution. Every time he introduced a tougher measure, it was said that it was he who was to blame, not the government he led.
However, activists have spread across northern Italy, where the virus is out of control, since the first case was reported on February 21. Until March 10, when the quarantine was introduced in the country, he believes that initially the prime minister did not take the situation seriously enough. In June, prosecutors asked him if the draconian quarantine could have been introduced earlier.

Mr. Rezza believes that not only has fear played an important role, but the government should also be congratulated, especially since the Prime Minister based his decisions on science rather than popularity. “I would say that at least once, politicians have shown some clarity and courage in listening to scientists, especially the Minister of Health,” he said, referring to Mr. Speranz.

Politicians have also made bold decisions, as the quarantine has meant that part of the population may be dissatisfied, intimidated and the possible economic consequences. The decision to introduce the national quarantine was really bold, “he said.

In the United States, the quarantine has so far been fragmented, and in the United Kingdom, the opening remains difficult and difficult to understand for the majority of the population. There are loopholes and exceptions to almost all the rules. Even in Spain, which was also heavily affected by the virus and the quarantine was very strict, the virus was able to find a new way to establish itself partly because the government decided to open up too much and too fast. You can already go dancing in Spain, but not in Italy.

Recently, the virus has re-emerged in France, but local authorities only on July 20 introduced a requirement to wear a mask. In Italy, such a requirement has been in place from the beginning, and Speranza says it is likely to be in effect for some time.

Despite its history of success in fighting the virus, Italy has suffered significant economic losses. The country’s GDP is projected to shrink by around 10 percent this year, and many businesses related to the tourism sector will never recover again. However, the fact that the second wave is not taking place in the country, so far means that another quarantine is unlikely, so companies can continue to revive their activities without fear of losing even more money.

Severgnini, who lives in the United States, says there is a stark contrast between Italy’s frighteningly surprising success and America’s seemingly difficult efforts to smooth the curve of coronavirus rise. “America was born out of rebellion and it still feels like it,” he said. – But sometimes rebellion is absurd. For example, during a pandemic. “

Believe that fear has played an important role. “Fear can be a form of wisdom,” he said.

“Courage, demonstrative carelessness,” he said. “Well the fact that we don’t have Donald Trump also helps.”