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| ‘People are getting a little crazy’: Life in Italy’s coronavirus ‘red zone’ | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| SANTO STEFANO, Italy — Outside a small bar on the edge of northern Italy’s coronavirus “red zone,” patrons watch as paramedics head-to-toe in protective suits, gloves and face masks attend a house call across the street. | |
| One of the figures in white describes the patient’s cough to a colleague over the phone. The bar flies with rumors. | One of the figures in white describes the patient’s cough to a colleague over the phone. The bar flies with rumors. |
| “We’re all going to get it,” said 22-year-old Claudi Ghidoni, sitting at a plastic table with two friends, the first time she said she’s been out of the house since Italian cases of covid-19 dramatically jumped last week. | “We’re all going to get it,” said 22-year-old Claudi Ghidoni, sitting at a plastic table with two friends, the first time she said she’s been out of the house since Italian cases of covid-19 dramatically jumped last week. |
| Since then, life in parts of northern Italy have taken on a surreal air. Just across the furrowed fields from the bar in Santo Stefano, 40 miles southeast of Milan, more than 50,000 people live under lockdown in a quarantine area that stretches across 11 villages and towns. | Since then, life in parts of northern Italy have taken on a surreal air. Just across the furrowed fields from the bar in Santo Stefano, 40 miles southeast of Milan, more than 50,000 people live under lockdown in a quarantine area that stretches across 11 villages and towns. |
| A network of dozens of roadblocks staffed by the police and army keep residents in and visitors out, with those breaching the quarantine zone threatened with fines and jail time. The number of cases in the country surged to 650 this week, with 17 deaths recorded. | A network of dozens of roadblocks staffed by the police and army keep residents in and visitors out, with those breaching the quarantine zone threatened with fines and jail time. The number of cases in the country surged to 650 this week, with 17 deaths recorded. |
| Italy’s coronavirus lockdown shows how the outbreak is testing democracies | Italy’s coronavirus lockdown shows how the outbreak is testing democracies |
| The Italian government has stressed the restrictions only cover a tiny patch of Italy — just 0.1 percent of the population — as it tries to present an image of business as usual. | The Italian government has stressed the restrictions only cover a tiny patch of Italy — just 0.1 percent of the population — as it tries to present an image of business as usual. |
| But for those who live past the army trucks and traffic cones that show the lengths this country is willing to go in an attempt to contain the virus, life is far from usual. | But for those who live past the army trucks and traffic cones that show the lengths this country is willing to go in an attempt to contain the virus, life is far from usual. |
| In around 20 interviews this week with residents inside the quarantine zone, some people said that initial panic had subsided, but concern and confusion remain. Residents spoke by phone or from the other side of checkpoints that dot the countryside. | In around 20 interviews this week with residents inside the quarantine zone, some people said that initial panic had subsided, but concern and confusion remain. Residents spoke by phone or from the other side of checkpoints that dot the countryside. |
| Across the fields from the bar, in San Fiorano village, the mayor said three elderly people have died after contracting the virus but he’s been unable to find out how many in his village have tested positive. With funerals and mass services suspended the dead are still awaiting proper burials, he said. | Across the fields from the bar, in San Fiorano village, the mayor said three elderly people have died after contracting the virus but he’s been unable to find out how many in his village have tested positive. With funerals and mass services suspended the dead are still awaiting proper burials, he said. |
| While some in the area expressed frustration at the restrictions, others said they didn’t mind the slower pace of life but remained concerned they were enduring a deeper economic and social cost than the rest of the country. | While some in the area expressed frustration at the restrictions, others said they didn’t mind the slower pace of life but remained concerned they were enduring a deeper economic and social cost than the rest of the country. |
| Only the most necessary stores, like pharmacies and supermarkets, remain open and have limits on the number of customers that can enter at a time. Residents are asked to avoid gatherings and crowds. | Only the most necessary stores, like pharmacies and supermarkets, remain open and have limits on the number of customers that can enter at a time. Residents are asked to avoid gatherings and crowds. |
| With post offices closed, the elderly are unable to pick up their pensions. | With post offices closed, the elderly are unable to pick up their pensions. |
| “Everyone struggles,” said Mario Ghidelli, the San Fiorano mayor, saying other mayors are frustrated with the level of information they were receiving. “We need to give answers to our citizens.” | “Everyone struggles,” said Mario Ghidelli, the San Fiorano mayor, saying other mayors are frustrated with the level of information they were receiving. “We need to give answers to our citizens.” |
| He said that last blessings were given for the three residents who died, all over the age of 69, in the presence of a few family members, but the coffins had to be placed in a municipal crypt until undertakers are available. | He said that last blessings were given for the three residents who died, all over the age of 69, in the presence of a few family members, but the coffins had to be placed in a municipal crypt until undertakers are available. |
| Ghidelli said he is lobbying for businesses like hairdressers to be able to open, even if it’s to have one customer at a time. With schools closed, teachers say they give their students homework assignments to keep them up to date. Other residents work remotely. | Ghidelli said he is lobbying for businesses like hairdressers to be able to open, even if it’s to have one customer at a time. With schools closed, teachers say they give their students homework assignments to keep them up to date. Other residents work remotely. |
| Italy’s economy was scary enough. Then came coronavirus. | Italy’s economy was scary enough. Then came coronavirus. |
| Elena Forvi, 36, an engineer from the village of Bertonico, said that she had initially panicked as the military arrived to set up road blocks. “The last time we saw the army around these towns was the end of World War II,” she said. “I just felt useless, that I had no power over my freedom.” | Elena Forvi, 36, an engineer from the village of Bertonico, said that she had initially panicked as the military arrived to set up road blocks. “The last time we saw the army around these towns was the end of World War II,” she said. “I just felt useless, that I had no power over my freedom.” |
| But things had got better in recent days, she said. Supermarket shelves that had been emptied as residents initially stocked up in alarm are now replenished. | But things had got better in recent days, she said. Supermarket shelves that had been emptied as residents initially stocked up in alarm are now replenished. |
| Some grouse about the arbitrariness of red zone restrictions. The closed-off towns have only a tiny fraction of the more than 600 confirmed cases in Italy. | Some grouse about the arbitrariness of red zone restrictions. The closed-off towns have only a tiny fraction of the more than 600 confirmed cases in Italy. |
| “People are getting a little crazy,” said Guiseppe Malusardi, 49, as he passed a police checkpoint near the village of Casalpusterlengo on his bicycle. “Everything’s closed.” | “People are getting a little crazy,” said Guiseppe Malusardi, 49, as he passed a police checkpoint near the village of Casalpusterlengo on his bicycle. “Everything’s closed.” |
| But for others, life under quarantine has its upsides. | But for others, life under quarantine has its upsides. |
| “It’s fantastic,” said Ambrogio Pezzi, 54, as strode past with his golden retriever, adding that he was enjoying a two-week break from his dentistry work and more family time. “We are like hamsters in a wheel, running around and around and not realizing we are always running in the same spot. Maybe this is a lesson to slow down and enjoy things.” | “It’s fantastic,” said Ambrogio Pezzi, 54, as strode past with his golden retriever, adding that he was enjoying a two-week break from his dentistry work and more family time. “We are like hamsters in a wheel, running around and around and not realizing we are always running in the same spot. Maybe this is a lesson to slow down and enjoy things.” |
| The checkpoints have become handover points with the outside world. Some come to give their relatives or friends gifts of cheese, other hand over documents caught up on the other side. A woman comes to collect specialist cat food dropped off by a friend. | The checkpoints have become handover points with the outside world. Some come to give their relatives or friends gifts of cheese, other hand over documents caught up on the other side. A woman comes to collect specialist cat food dropped off by a friend. |
| Trucks and essential workers can pass by the barriers with the right paper work. | Trucks and essential workers can pass by the barriers with the right paper work. |
| Residents of nearby towns said in the first days of the quarantine, some red-zone villagers would stroll out on country roads to buy a paper or go to a cafe. | Residents of nearby towns said in the first days of the quarantine, some red-zone villagers would stroll out on country roads to buy a paper or go to a cafe. |
| But in recent days, more police have been deployed on country back roads, with the twinkling blue lights of police cars dotting the horizon at dusk. Bales of hay have been moved to block cycle paths. | But in recent days, more police have been deployed on country back roads, with the twinkling blue lights of police cars dotting the horizon at dusk. Bales of hay have been moved to block cycle paths. |
| For the most part, a collective sense of duty has caused people not to take the risk. But it remains unclear the restrictions can help stop the virus spreading. | For the most part, a collective sense of duty has caused people not to take the risk. But it remains unclear the restrictions can help stop the virus spreading. |
| There was a spike in admissions recorded at the hospital in the town of Lodi, close to the edge of the red-zone, on Thursday night. A total of 51 “serious admissions” were recorded, according to the regional governor Attilio Fontana, who is self-isolating himself for two weeks after a staff member tested positive. Some 17 are reported to be in a critical condition. | There was a spike in admissions recorded at the hospital in the town of Lodi, close to the edge of the red-zone, on Thursday night. A total of 51 “serious admissions” were recorded, according to the regional governor Attilio Fontana, who is self-isolating himself for two weeks after a staff member tested positive. Some 17 are reported to be in a critical condition. |
| The towns have been under lockdown for nearly a week, and one of the residents of Vo’, a red zone town 40 miles from Venice, has charted the slow passage of time on Facebook, logging a diary of his chores, his meals, his thoughts, and gradually, his growing sense of tension. | The towns have been under lockdown for nearly a week, and one of the residents of Vo’, a red zone town 40 miles from Venice, has charted the slow passage of time on Facebook, logging a diary of his chores, his meals, his thoughts, and gradually, his growing sense of tension. |
| “The unease that is there — the sense of isolation that we are fearing — is that Vo’ seems to have become sort of a guinea pig of a town,” the author of the diary, Giorgio Paolo Carpanese, 63, a retired industrial window cleaner, said in a phone interview. “The town is small and easy to circumscribe. All of the citizens have this feeling of having been used,” in something he likened to a social experiment. | “The unease that is there — the sense of isolation that we are fearing — is that Vo’ seems to have become sort of a guinea pig of a town,” the author of the diary, Giorgio Paolo Carpanese, 63, a retired industrial window cleaner, said in a phone interview. “The town is small and easy to circumscribe. All of the citizens have this feeling of having been used,” in something he likened to a social experiment. |
| Carpanese’s life, over the last week, has been spent solely in his town of 3,400 people, mostly with his wife Patrizia and dog Obama. He’s done house cleaning. He’s fixed the flower bed. He’s started to paint the attic. He’s wrapped a scarf around his face, taken his bike outside, only to find the main square deserted. | Carpanese’s life, over the last week, has been spent solely in his town of 3,400 people, mostly with his wife Patrizia and dog Obama. He’s done house cleaning. He’s fixed the flower bed. He’s started to paint the attic. He’s wrapped a scarf around his face, taken his bike outside, only to find the main square deserted. |
| And then, on Tuesday, he took another outing: this time, to the town’s elementary school, where health workers were testing residents for the virus. | And then, on Tuesday, he took another outing: this time, to the town’s elementary school, where health workers were testing residents for the virus. |
| Carpanese arrived to find people already waiting in line, and officials, all wearing face masks, were recommending that people stay six feet apart. The residents were given a number, and after some waiting, they were called inside to the school’s main hall, where eight testing stations were arranged in a half-circle. A nurse opened an envelope and took out a swab, collecting samples from inside Carpanese’s nose and mouth. He was told that if nobody called him within 24 hours, the results were negative. | Carpanese arrived to find people already waiting in line, and officials, all wearing face masks, were recommending that people stay six feet apart. The residents were given a number, and after some waiting, they were called inside to the school’s main hall, where eight testing stations were arranged in a half-circle. A nurse opened an envelope and took out a swab, collecting samples from inside Carpanese’s nose and mouth. He was told that if nobody called him within 24 hours, the results were negative. |
| Nobody called. | Nobody called. |
| “I tested negative, but I can’t be happy about it,” he wrote on Friday, on a day he said he struggled to sleep. “I’m thinking too much about it — thinking of those who were given a different outcome, of the tension they’re experiencing, the whispers all around them.” | “I tested negative, but I can’t be happy about it,” he wrote on Friday, on a day he said he struggled to sleep. “I’m thinking too much about it — thinking of those who were given a different outcome, of the tension they’re experiencing, the whispers all around them.” |
| Claudia Cavaliere in Santo Stefano contributed to this story. | Claudia Cavaliere in Santo Stefano contributed to this story. |
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