I guess, better late than never, right?
I’m doing my best to reside in this mindset rather than saying, “Why the hell has it take so long for a mask mandate?” By June, we’d knocked Covid 19 back to a small simmer. Why not seal the efforts with a mask requirement to keep Italy from turning into a hotspot again, like it is now? I’ve been waiting for the Italian government to issue a mask mandate for months. When we emerged from ten solid weeks of restricted lockdown, I was afraid people would start high-fiving one another that we emerged victorious and could start relaxing. My fears became reality.
Oh, what a mistake.
10,000 new cases yesterday.
Italy’s mask mandate was put into place almost nine days ago when new cases were approaching 4,000. This means the Italian mask mandate didn’t become an important thing to do until the cases were already accelerating. Talk about trying to chase a speeding car.
Given that there’s a two-to-three week lag between action and any semblance of a “payoff,” I’m guessing that we’re going to see cases keep rising. Read the BBC article about the new mask mandate.
Italy became too complacent, in my opinion.
We were the poster child of Covid meltdown in the early days. “Poor Italy,” was an oft-expressed sentiment back in March and April. Then, when Italy behaved for ten weeks, the country became the poster child for efficacy in our response. Summer came, people started visibly relaxing and dispensing with preventative measures. The government put far too much trust in “personal responsibility” just as we were entering Ferragosto, the massive vacation celebration month of August. Then the crap started hitting the fan towards the end of the month. Read my post, COVID in Italy, When Defiance Turns Deadly.
Cases were already ticking upwards at the end of August and beginning of September. France and Spain were already taking off to new daily highs. Yet, what did Italy do? Not much. If there was any time to get the horse reasonably back in the barn again, it would have been back in early September. And, there would have been solid contact tracing and quarantining for people traveling to and from the above-mentioned countries. At best, efforts were inconsistently applied. I’m afraid too many people just thought and big flare-up wouldn’t happen again.
So, here we are.
We have a new mask mandate that requires us to have a mask fully in place (no chin diapers) when out in public. The only exception is if you are in a sparsely populated area with little chance of crossing paths with another person. People can remove their masks when seated in restaurants or bars, but only when properly distanced.
Other than family households, gatherings MUST be limited to not more than six people. Plus, we’re already hearing that Christmas and New Year’s may be lockdown days.
Yes, I guess better late than ever. But, I’m pretty upset with the Italian government for not acting more decisively sooner and preventing the situation that we were ALL warned about multiple times.
How will we behave here in Italy?
Frankly, I don’t know. Just last night we looked down from our fourth-floor window to a popular bar and, as usual, people were elbow-to-elbow, most with either no mask or with one tucked under their chin. This was a clear example of this-will-never-happen-to-me, or an example of I-really-don’t-care (which is an indictment, in my opinion, of blatant disregard for the wellbeing of other people).
Meanwhile, I stay mostly inside.
I’m wearing my masks (I have several stylish designs) more and more to habituate myself to them. I have mild asthma and a bit of claustrophobia, so I’m doing what I can to desensitize myself to the panic that I sometimes feel. We’ve been vigilant in staying healthy for eight solid months now and I’m not ready to throw that away!
Bravo Jed on your response to Thomas. Yes facts do matter and the fact is that this President has done nothing more than caused division in his time in office and that is a fact. To add to your list, he attacks the Governor of Michigan while the Feds arrested a group of people planning to kidnap and kill her and refuses to call out hate groups that support him and as you rightly pointed out, the list goes on. He knows no bounds. The fact that he’s not listening to the greatest minds in infectious disease’s and now has Scott Atlas as his go-to on the Covid-19 task force. Scott Atlas is a neuroradiologist by trade and frequented Fox News pushing to reopen the country and promoting herd immunity. This is who he picked to head up the most important issue on the universe! Yes facts do matter. The number was actually 85% of a small group that also said they were NOT wearing masks ALL the time!
Like Joee, I also live in Florida and our Governor just opened up the state and I am now seeing many more people not wearing masks and creating a danger to those around them.
What I don’t get is people are ok to wear a “mandated by law” seat belt to protect themselves but refuse to wear a mask to protect not only themselves but those around them. This starts from the top and unfortunately, it will be hard to put this horse back in the barn. God Speed we can all get through this with little death as possible.
Thanks, Bill, for this important perspective. Seatbelts are a good analogy, in my opinion. Imagine if people rose up against seatbelts saying they were impinging on civil liberties!
Yes, let’s pray we all find our best selves and work together to surmount this crisis with as little carnage as possible. Stay say and well!
Bill, You may be too young to remember: it took years –a couple of decades– to make seat belts a “no big deal” safety step. Early on, some people were convinced that using them made injuries worse during a wreck. (And with lap belts only, rather than the full lap-and-shoulder belts we use today, they were not wrong,) And some just weren’t going to let the government tell them what to do in their own cars. It took educating a couple of generations of schoolchildren to establish the practice. My point is not to argue, but to provide some perspective on what it may be reasonable to expect of everyone. People are often slow to change their behavior for reasons that have nothing to do with others–panic attacks with masks over noses and mouths, for instance, as someone I know has.
Stay safe and sane, everyone! Jed, Italy may be a better place to be right now than stateside during an ugly election season. And I love your posts.
Another important perspective, Christine, and a trip down Memory Lane with seatbelts. Wasn’t it also a state by state thing with some stubbornly refusing to implement what had become clear would save lives? I guess the big difference wasn’t that the situation wasn’t the “house on fire” that Covid is. Time is of the essence!
I’m one of those people who has had panic attacks with anything covering my face. Back in Late March I had a mask panic attack in my grocery store just across this street. This was after waiting in a 30 min queue and being in the store with only five other customers. I wanted to rip the required mask off my face. So, I understand this point. But, I had to keep practicing, wearing it at home and walking about. Now I’m fairly habituated. Good thing since we no longer have the choice in Italy unless we have a valid doctor’s note
Our Prime Minister addressed the nation last night, giving his full speech masked. This was a good example to set, in my opinion, and one he has been doing for months!
Always good hearing from you and your wise and measured comments, Christine. Stay safe!
Thank you Jed for always being so insightful and kind. Keep up these wonderful posts…we need them. Grazie, Patricia
Grazie, Patricia! Good to hear from you. Stay safe!
Hi Jed. Steph here. We are having the same problems here in the UK. We live in Kent but have been put into tier 3 of our restrictions. However we are being tarred with the same brush as the people in the north of London as we are considered a London borough. Our rate of infection is currently 64/100,000 whereas the northern boroughs are triple this rate. Whilst feeling genuinely pissed off about this we realise we have to adhere to the new regulations … continue wearing our masks (properly) social distancing and not meeting up with our friends outside of our ‘bubble’. Ken and I are considered ‘at risk’ on account of our being 70+ so we keep ourselves to ourselves. So …. why oh why cannot people abide by the rules and work together to hold this ghastly man manufacured virus at bay. Selfish selfish stupid people …… I totally agree with your post. Let’s hope we can resume our lives in the future and forget this ghastly year and hope that we have learned by it ( I doubt this very much but I can at least believe it may be possible!)
So many frustrations on so many levels. Che casino! Right? We’re keeping to ourselves as much as possible, too. Let’s pray we learn to be better and wiser as a result of all this. And, may be we all be kinder and more inclusive as a world community! Love and good thoughts, Jed
Jed, I live in Palermo Sicily and I share your same view. However to put all the blames on the government(s), I do think people should be more considerate and responsible. Whatever the measures are in place, we should try our best to protect ourselves, our loved ones and also people we hardly know on the street. Covid is contagious and proven to cause high death rate to aged. The fact is even one is not afraid of catching it but he/she may pass it to someone around and his/her family without notice. So why not always wear a mask PROPERLY when going out ? And try best not to catch it. Just like you mentioned, here in Palermo, people wear mask with nose uncovered, under the chin and on their elbows. I come from Hong Kong a very small island with a population of nearly 8 millions people. They have been very disciplined in wearing a mask all times going out and indoors. Since the Covid happened, up till now, in HK, only 5200 contagious cases (including people flying in from abroad and got tested positive at airport) and only 110 deaths. I really do not understand nowadays many people on this earth just like to put blame on others. Before judging others, why not self think we are doing what we should to help the situation.
Hi Judy, I’m so glad you bring up the disciplined example of Hong Kong. It shows what people can do with sustained vigilance. And, you rightly underscore the importance of personal responsibility. We’re shouldn’t, in my opinion, have to have our governments force us to comply. Let’s hope and pray people bring forth their best selves for the greater good.
Thanks for writing. Stay safe!
Lynn, I am in the same situation as you and your husband. Sadly, I had to cancel my long held ticket to Rome which was the second time, spring being the first, that I had to pospone my trip back to my spiritual home, Assisi. I am trying to get residency there but delays due to COVID is the sad reality. Have hope we will get there eventually!
Jed, I mirror your sediments. It just seems an unbelievable situation that some people, including the powers that be governmentally, cannot easily be an example of the importance of self-dicipline for the benefit of all concerned and to make and enfoce the rules for those who are so self-centered and self-indulgent that they find it so easy to dismiss the negative impact of rules necessary to ensure the well being of all people . We are very concerned here in America about where this situation will take us but lack of consideration for all concerned is clearly not confined to America. Thanks for updating your readers and sharing your thoughts and feelings around the situation in Italy.
Praying that we can all (America, Italy, and the entire world) find some opportunity for growth in this very challenging time.
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for weighing in and sharing your perspective. Self-discipline and embracing the discomfort and perceived inconvenience for the greater good seems to be a bridge too far for many people. I endeavored to share that Italy, too, has been slow in acting. No one wants to limit individual liberties but, I believe, we have to do anything possible to stave off an even greater outbreak.
Stay safe and let’s hope that we all somehow come together to do what is necessary!
We have a city mask mandate that seems to be widely observed but people can’t help but congregate. We are so hungry for personal contact. Like you, I am a dedicated mask wearer and wish everyone else felt the urgency.
Jed, You apparently are ” moderating ” your site to include comments attacking the U.S. or personal attacks on our President. Allowing a person to call our President a “moron” on your site just exceeded my capacity of tolerance.
Apparently some of your folks don’t understand our Federal system of governance. They also don’t understand that there is a division of opinion on effectiveness of masks. Yes, masks make you feel good, but 70% of those who tested positive, said they always wore masks. For those in the highest risk group, perhaps you should stay home. Your medical needs shouldn’t dictate life for others, the majority of people. Unfortunately, Italy is not paying attention to Denmark and Sweden, lowest rates with no mask mandate. Facts do matter.
For those of you who worship “Science “, please tell me that Science has the cure for the cold.
Thomas,
You make an incorrect assumption about the “moderation” here. Thus, you opinion is shared.
You take offense at an opinion expressed by one of my subscribers about the leader of the U.S. I invite you to demonstrate similar outrage at the innumerable insults and belittling by the same leader, including calling Elizabeth Warren “Pocahontas,” calling Kamala Harris “nasty,” and demeaning John McCain as a war hero for being captured. The list goes on and on. So please don’t say your tolerance has been breeched for someone who has demonstrated countless times that he has little respect for other people.
Yes, facts matter, including noting that Sweden has one of the highest per capita COVID death rates in Europe.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-52757471
And, we’re not talking about the common cold, are we? The common cold vs. a virus that is well past killing one million people. Yet, you employ this comparison to attack science?
If you’re itching for a fight here, I will draw the line. You’ve shared your opinion, so take comfort that you’ve been heard.
Ciao Jed. I agree with you completely. I live in Florida where it’s a free-for-all. Last week I had to walk out of a doctor appointment because in a 5 minute wait I saw 2 nurses, 5 patients and the doctor not wearing masks. When I saw the doctor shake hands with 2 people I almost ran out of the door! In my county the mayor still has a mask mandate but he is being sued by a group and it’s not being enforced because the governor of Florida has ended all restrictions. It breaks my heart to see how many people do not care about others. I love your blog and look forward to every post!
Oh my, is all I can say, Joee. I am incredulous at what you are experiencing. Stay safe as best you can in these frustrating times.
Hi Jed
How bitterly frustrating this all is. People are stupid and inconsiderate, no matter where they live or what their customs are and have been. All we needed here in the U.S. was for that moron in the White House to have experienced Covid and to have had such an “easy” time with it, making it seem like nothing more than a bad cold. We have no hope. For me, the saddest part right now is our inability to get to Umbria, to Assisi. It is Assisi where I find peace and have been able to mourn the passing of my mother. My father passed on Wednesday, mother in law in July. My husband and I are now free to travel, in need of pax et bonum, but stuck in this tidal wave. Were we able, we would come and buy your house. For sure. So sad. Pray for strength. Thanks
Lynn, my heart goes out to you on so many levels. I cannot begin to imagine what you are feeling with the loss of people so close to you and not be immersed in the peace of Assisi. I long for sitting in the lower sanctuary of the church. It’s one of the most soul-soothing places I know. Stay safe and tend to your wounded heart.