The latest data on the coronavirus in Italy suggests that we are now at the peak of infections, but there should be no illusions about the reopening of businesses: walks in the centre, chats at the bar and dinners at the restaurant will be banned until at least May. Even more we will have to wait for gyms and hairdressers, but also for discos, pubs, conference centers and meeting rooms. All that is not strictly essential is relegated to the bottom of the list. In fact, the arrival of spring and the possibility of being outdoors won't help, because the problem is contact between people.
It was the president of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Professor Brusaferro, who communicated that we are now at the peak, after which the epidemiological curve should gradually decline. According to Brusaferro, this is proof that the restrictive measures have worked, even if it is not yet the time to let our guard down. After Easter, however, some gradual reopening could take shape.
At the moment, the only certainty is that full quarantine will continue until April 12. This was confirmed on Monday by the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza: "In the meeting of the Technical-Scientific Committee - he said - the assessment of extending all the containment measures emerged at least until Easter and the government will move in this direction”. The official provision will be launched at the next meeting of the Council of Ministers, which will be held on Wednesday or Thursday and should cover the period until April 18, as announced.
But what will happen after Easter? It is possible that between 12 and 18 April the government allows the reopening of some industries related to essential services, but hitherto considered non-essential: this is the case of some mechanical industries whose products are vital for the agri-food chain, or of chemical industries linked to pharmaceuticals. On the other hand, in order to be able to reopen their doors, these companies too will have to demonstrate compliance the anti-contagion rules: safety distance of at least one meter between employees, provision of gloves and masks, adequate ventilation systems.
The same rules will also apply to all other activities, which will gradually return to operation in the following days, following a roadmap on which the government and technicians are already working. So it is clear that the reopening date will not mark the return to normalcy: it will still take a long time for everything to go back to the way it was. The most serious danger is that too rapid a recovery will give a boost to the contagion curve. A scenario that would produce incalculable health, social and economic damage.
