Living with lockdown

Yesterday afternoon (Wednesday) the Irish health service confirmed that a woman with an underlying illness who contracted COVID-19 died in the east of the country. The deceased woman is understood to be an elderly lady with underlying medical conditions, writes Thomas Lyons.
Originally from between Ballinagh and Arva, Daniel Brady has lived in Padova for over a year and half. The small Northern Italian city is not far from Venice. For the last two weeks, the government has imposed travel restrictions in the region in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus infection.
At the start of this week, Italy announced to the world that it was putting all of the 60 million residents on lockdown, as the number of cases of the COVID-19 virus throughout the country continues to rise.
Announcing that the lockdown will remain in place until April 3 Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte struck a note of finality when announcing the decision by saying: “There is no more time.”

In less than a month, Italy has gone from having only three cases of the coronavirus to having the highest number of cases and deaths outside of China. Italy’s national health service, known as Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN), has mobilised to deal with the unprecedented level of infection.

Images of quiet city streets across Italy are in stark contrast to the usual bustling tourist thronged walkways. Daniel said that, though life goes on, the national emergency is very apparent: “There are still people out, but it is a lot quieter. Cycling into work this morning was a bit surreal. Usually the streets are full, but there are a lot fewer people out.

“I was working up until today, but today I was sent home. I am a researcher, I work with animals. The work I do is considered 'essential work'. Today I went in and my supervisor said 'it is better if you don't come in'. They are taking it quite seriously – which is quite reassuring,” he told the Celt.

Daniel is not far from the area of Northern Italy when the problem is at its greatest. Padova lies two hours by train from Milan. The travel restrictions are imposed since before Monday: “We have been in lockdown now for over a week. We have been in the Red Zone for a week.”

The government response has seen the schools shut, public spaces like cinemas closed, and the town squares, the centre of Italian community life, denuded of people.

Supplies are not a problem: “People are not panic buying. The masks and the hand gel are gone. They have been gone for week, but I see they are back in stock. Food and everything else is fine. The shops are not restricting any purchases. I was surprised to see at home the toilet paper selling out.”

The message of “everything goes on” was apparent: “At the weekend the weather was amazing. The sky was blue, the sun was beaming down. Everyone was out, even though we were on lockdown. Since Monday and the government announcement it has been a lot quieter, people are more mindful.

“Generally the health service is very good here,” Daniel states, “here in the city they have a quarantine zone. They basically put up tents in a big car park. They were never trying to eradicate or stop it, they were just trying to slow the spread. They are trying to stop the hospitals being overwhelmed. The government's actions have been very good.”

One characteristic of the way the public are reacting to thee matter is the manner or reporting in the media: “It has been quite factual. How many cases. I think more sensationalism is coming from abroad. Particularly the US and the UK. Here they are quite factual. That is quite reassuring.”

How long the lock down will continue has yet to be established: “Three weeks ago they cancelled classes in schools . It was on a rolling basis for a week. Last week they announced that it would be until next month. They will keep pushing it forward until the numbers stop increasing.”

Daniel says that it has had an affect on the way people socialise: “We don't go out to the town the way we normally would. Last Friday I had friends over to my apartment for dinner. Some were fobbing it off, not too worried, but others were concerned.
“One of my friends went back to to Rome to their family because they did not want to be on lockdown here. The change from a regional lockdown to a national lockdown has put it in perspective for everyone,” he says.