Five years ago, on December 1, 2019, the first case of pneumonia of unknown origin was recorded in Wuhan, the capital of the Chinese province Hubei. It is the the first case known of what we would soon call Covid-19. A week later, seven more cases were recorded. In mid-December, Chinese state television announced to the world the discovery of the virus outbreak in Wuhan. These events would have triggered a global health crisis, which radically changed our daily lives, the way we work and live.
Covid: the spread of the virus and the first lockdown in Italy
On New Year's Eve 2019, the Wuhan Health Commission informed the WHO - World Health Organization - of the cluster of pneumonia cases recorded in the Hubei area. Most of the cases were linked to the Huanan market, a wholesale market for seafood and live animals. In January 2020, the new virus was identified as SARS-CoV-2 and the city of Wuhan goes into lockdown. The epidemic reaches Italy on January 29, 2020, when two Chinese tourists who tested positive for the virus are admitted to the Spallanzani hospital in Rome. Two days later, Italy proclaims the state of emergency, suspending flights to and from China, even though the virus was already circulating in the north of the country.
On February 18, 2020, what was mistakenly called "patient zero": Mattia, a 38-year-old from Codogno, Lombardy. In a short time, outbreaks arise in Veneto and the province of Bergamo. The Italian government responds with the first of many Dpcm, which imposes quarantine on over 50 thousand people in 11 municipalities in the North. On March 9, 2020, a date etched in the collective memory, Prime Minister Conte announces that Italy would enter total lockdown. All non-essential activities are closed, schools are moving to distance learning and travel is limited to a minimum. For the first time since the post-war period, Italy is under curfew. Two days later, with 100 cases worldwide and over 100 countries affected, the WHO declares a state of pandemic.
In those days, the buildings are covered with banners with messages of hope and unity against adversity. The reality, however, was very different, following months of long debates on lockdowns and reopenings. Furthermore, Covid, instead of putting everyone in front of the same challenges, increased inequalities: the most vulnerable paid a greater price.
Covid, a new way of working: smart working
The pandemic has revolutionized the world of work. During the first lockdown, people working remotely grew from half a million to six and a half million. Another 2024 million in 3 of Italians work in smart working. This method is highly appreciated, it allows for greater flexibility in hours, saving time and transportation costs and guarantees a better balance between private life and work. According to the Smart Working Observatory of the Polytechnic University of Milan, 73% of workers who use it would oppose if their company eliminated this form of flexibility. 27% would seriously consider changing jobs. However, there are critical issues, there are those who think that working from home fuels social isolation and inequalities, because not everyone has the same spaces or technologies. Today there is much discussion about how and to what extent to apply smart working, but one thing is certain: after the pandemic, it is difficult to think of a world of work that does not provide for it in any way.
Covid: Vaccines and the No Vax Phenomenon
December 14, 2020 is coming the first vaccine against Covid-19, developed by Pfizer, followed by the Moderna vaccine. On the morning of December 27, the vaccination campaign begins simultaneously throughout Europe. Most of the Italian population is vaccinated, but a vocal minority, that of No Vaccines, polarizes public debate. The data leaves no room for doubt. In 2021, the rate of new infections among the unvaccinated reached almost 700 cases per 100.000 people, compared to 174,6 cases among the vaccinated. Yet, in July 2021, 5% of Italians declared that they were not at all willing to get vaccinated.
The resistance of some to vaccination has raised profound questions about how much we are willing to cooperate for the common good, and about confidence that Italians have in institutions. The pandemic has shown how essential it is to build and consolidate this trust, so that, especially in crisis situations, citizens are able to distinguish and accept reliable information. Without credibility, the efforts of scientists and politicians in future crises risk being in vain.
