In the wake of the quarantine against COVID-19 imposed in Italy, West Island Blog’s Dario De Felice interviews his Italian teenaged cousin who has been in his home for over a month.
The following is an English language translation of the interviewee’s responses which were delivered in Italian (Neapolitan Dialect):
Question 1 (WIB): How would you say your life has changed since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Italy?
Response 1 (Pasquale): My life has changed a lot, primarily I was used to going to school every day from Monday through Saturday. In Italy, the school week spands Monday through Saturday. At the end of February, the government decided to close all schools within Italy. At the present time, schools are scheduled to remain closed until April 3rd. Since the school closure, I have been doing my best to keep up with my studies by doing lessons and homework virtually. I feel very isolated as I have not left my home for several days. When I am not studying, I watch TV, Movies, and of course, keep up with the world news about the Virus.
Question 2 (WIB): How is the Italian government policing the lockdown?
Response 2 (Pasquale): The Italian government is publishing many decrees. From the last decree, it is recommended not to leave the house except for work, health and reasons of necessity. In an attempt to curtail the continued spread on this virus the government has closed Italy’s borders with adjacent countries. This has , of course, had economic ramifications. As you can imagine the Italian citizens are very concerned and anxious at this time. As a result, the lockdown is being enforced by the citizens themselves.
Question 3 (WIB): Are supplies running low in the country such as food, water, toiletries?
Response 3 (Pasquale): There is no shortage of food or water. There is a shortage of medicines and medical facilities for treating the sick. There are over 15 thousand citizens infected and the death toll has now surpassed one thousand. Supermarkets are restocking their shelves regularly. There is a shortage of hand sanitizers and there was a shortage of medical masks but China supplied us with 2 million masks and respirators. For this, we are very thankful.
Question 4 (WIB): What jobs or stores are allowed to be functional during the lockdown?
Response 4 (Pasquale): Many stores that sell non-essential items have been ordered to close. In addition, restaurants, bars and similar establishments have also been ordered to close to minimize additional infections. Public services have remained open including of course hospitals and medical clinics. Pharmacies, grocery stores, gas stations and other businesses selling essential products and services remain open.
The West Island Blog would like to thank Pasquale Mutascio, of Nola, Italy for sharing the reality of living in one of the countries most impacted by the COVID-19 virus.
