Italians Share What They’ve Learned About Life with the Coronavirus

As the reality of the coronavirus hits more nations, Italians are sending some words of wisdom. It’s believed that countries like France, Spain, Germany, and the United States are just 9 to 10 days behind Italy in terms of the viral spread, so listening to what they say is valuable. Filmmaking collective A Thing Day asked Italians what advice they’d give themselves 10 days ago, and the responses may surprise you.

Today, the entire country of Italy is in lockdown. Its population of 60 million is being asked to stay indoors. Stores are closed, tourism has grounded to a halt, and those who can work are mainly doing it from home. If you do want to leave your house, you must fill in a piece of paper certifying that you are doing so for a medical emergency, to get groceries, or for urgent work purposes.

So if they could turn back time, what would they say to themselves? An overwhelming theme is not to underestimate COVID-19. Many in the video talk about how, just a little over a week ago, their routines hadn’t changed at all and that the pandemic seemed silly. Now, that’s all changed. With over 27,000 people infected and over 2,000 deceased in Italy, the new reality of life with the coronavirus is setting in.

It’s incredible to watch how, in such a short time, attitudes have changed in Italy. Certainly, in another 10 days, many other parts of the world will have similar experiences. By warning others that this isn’t just the “regular flu” and sharing stories of overcrowded hospitals, these people are using their personal experiences to shed light on the chaos this pandemic can truly cause if people don’t make the proper choices.

h/t: [Open Culture]

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