The Narrative Within

At noon in all of Italy today, people were at their windows applauding. It was a sign of appreciation for those nurses and doctors who have been risking their lives to save the lives of others. On our street, someone played “Nessun Dorma”, song made famous by Pavarotti. And with the phrase, “All’alba vincerò” (I’ll win at dawn), you could feel a sense of togetherness with neighbors you barely knew if you knew them at all. It was an emotional moment shared by all of us.

Synergy and Solidarity is what we need now to keep us alive.

Here in Rome, the sky was grey this morning and it looked like rain. And since buying groceries now implies standing in line outside the store, the idea of being caught in the rain when there’s a killer virus going around was a bit stressful.

On my walk to the store, there were vigili (city police) hailing down passing cars and scooters to see if they had permission to be out. It may seem extreme to those outside of Italy but we, who are here, are glad for these controls as they may save someone’s life including our own. The coronavirus is extremely contagious. Since many people infected show no symptoms, anyone you bump into could be a potential killer.

At the shop where I buy fruit and vegetable, there were only a few people. Outside the shop, wearing a mask and protective gloves, was one of the shopkeepers making sure only two people at a time were inside. We have had these restrictions for only five days now but so far I haven’t heard anyone complain.

But I have some complaints and they’re not about Italy.

British physician, Christian Jessen, instead of practicing medicine, presents TV shows like “Embarrassing Bodies” (that in itself tells you much about him). He recently claimed that Italians were using the coronavirus outbreak as an excuse to take a “long siesta.” What a wicked thing to say considering that, as of yesterday, over 1260 Italians died because of the virus. Maybe Jessen is not capable of distinguishing someone who is sleeping from someone who is dead. Shame shame shame on you Jessen! And, Jessen, what do you think of Boris Johnson who tells the British to get ready to see many of their loved ones die but that’s ok because, by having 60% of the population infected, immunization from the virus will develop.

I thought I liked Rebecca Solnit (even bought her book on walking) but after reading one of her posts on FB, it’s good-bye. In her post of Saturday, March 14, 2020 5:38 a.m., she complained of people posting misinformation (“Also please stop posting ridiculous misinformation because I got three of you to take things down tonight and I don’t have time to fact-check the whole fucking US of A.”) I applaud anyone who fact-checks. However, Rebecca, don’t thrown the first stone. You also say “Even if you get sick a lot of you will be fine. Actually a lot of us will probably get sick, but by delaying the spread we’re preventing the medical system from getting overwhelmed as Italy’s has, because they didn’t take it seriously and then it was a catastrophe.” Rebecca, maybe you need to do some fact checking yourself. It was only by chance that, February 14, a patient from Codogno was tested for coronavirus (please read the post Living the Lockdown) and once the results were in, the ENTIRE town of Codogno was placed in quarantine. Ten days later, the entire region of Lombardy was also shutdown. And immediately anyone flying into the region had their temperature tested. Furthermore, testing in masses was done and FREE OF CHARGE and with sick leave for those infected. If there is anyone guilty of not taking the coronavirus seriously, it’s the USA and its president! Just ask Deborah Berger, president of National Nurses United.

And for today, that’s enough. For data update, consult Coronavirus Update worldOmeter.

# SynergyandSolidarity # Sinergiaesolidarietàitalia

(Living the Lockdown)

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These young people just got their nursing degrees and already are on the frong lines!

The government is trying to find a way to help those in economic need because of the coronavirus tragedy. So they will find a way to stop, for the time, taxes and mortgage payments and offer a deduction on utility bills. Coronavirus, in arrivo il “super decreto“: stop a tasse e mutui, taglio delle bollette