Covid-19 Drags On — Update From Northern Italy
Restricted travel, a 10 p.m. curfew, and most restaurants closed
There’s a dreary sense of resignation around the whole topic of Covid-19. Whatta ya gonna do? The owner of a coffee bar outside of Rome got so sick and tired of hearing about the issue all day she posted signs barring discussion of the virus.
People are generally good about the regulations and restrictions without a lot of fussing. Masks are dutifully worn inside grocery stores and the mall. Outside, masks are not required unless people are within two meters distance.
The good news is the cautionary measures seem to be working. At a recent press conference, Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza said, “The data we are starting to receive gives a glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel, but we must keep a prudent approach.”
Italy is using a tiered system based on the number of cases, so each of the 20 regions are evaluated separately. Right now, the Lombardy region where I live is a Red Zone — high risk, maximum restrictions. Here’s what that means:
- Bike rides and dog walks are…