Coronavirus in Italy: An insider's perspective on what the country-wide lockdown looks like in Rome

Well HELLO. I’ve taken a rather long break from writing on the blog (since my post in September about Ortigia, Sicily to be exact) but with all of the uncertainty right now regarding Rome, Italy and the spread of the coronavirus here, I thought I’d take some time to share about it from an insider perspective.

Just a week ago, I was encouraging people not to overreact and cancel trips to Italy, as long as they avoided the “red zones” in the north of Italy, including Milan and Venice. It was business as usual here in Rome, with everything still open, coming into spring (one of my favorite times of year in the city) and not much to worry about in sight. I was also planning a wedding scheduled for June, without much consideration given to the situation.

That all changed when the Italian president announced last night at 10 pm that starting today, the entire country was going on lockdown. It wasn’t just a problem for the north, but everyone in Italy was going to have to deal with travel bans, a 6 pm curfew, and a general advisory to “stay at home”.

This has been a lot to unpack today, as I consider what that means for me regarding work, wedding plans, and my mental state as we face 3 weeks of being in the house and only leaving for work or health purposes.

Professionally, Devour has decided to cancel all tours running in March and reopen after April 3rd when the ban is supposed to lift. This seems like the only option in a situation where everyone must be 1 meter apart at all times, masks and gloves are encouraged, and shops/restaurants/bar close at 6 pm. But that also means that I’m hearing from our amazing vendors who are wondering if they can survive a month with no income, or whether they can pay the rent on their space.

In terms of wedding planning, everything that we’ve been in the middle of has been put on pause. We’re still waiting to see whether it will be safe to travel in June (especially with older family members) and while I hope and think it must likely will be the case, we also need to consider our Plan B, as all weddings and funerals are currently forbidden. Obviously this is rough news to get after spending the better part of a year planning and stressing over it, with most of my family having already bought tickets and booked accommodations, but one way or another we’ll make it happen and of course, be happy if only just to be married.

Personally, facing the idea of being stuck at home for weeks without knowing when the situation will be resolved is tough. Dealing with anxiety means that without getting out and about, it’s hard to stay productive or in a good mental state. But taking walks and doing our grocery shopping at our local market are two ways that I’m going to enjoy time spent out of the house, as well as catching up on any books, shows or podcasts I’ve been wanting to listen to.

At the end of the day, the issues that I (and many others in Italy) might have with the lockdown pale in comparison to what those who are suffering from the coronavirus are going through right now. Hospitals in the north are overworked, at capacity, and any further pressure put on them will result in more people not recovering. These measures have been put into place to protect those at their most vulnerable, including the amazing older population that Italy boasts, and that’s something that I respect immensely.

If you do want to check out more info from balanced news sources, I’m linking a few here.

BBC Coronavirus: Italy extends emergency measures nationwide

La Repubblica Coronavirus: spostamenti, spesa, salute, cosa si può fare? Tutte le regole per l'Italia "zona protetta

This post from Georgette of a Girl in Florence is well-written, researched and gives practical steps you can take to help people living in Italy right now. Please give it a read!

Please also consider donating to Italian hospitals under pressure right now, or even just booking your trip for later on in the spring or fall now. As small businesses are struggling this month and will be for the next couple, every little bit helps. Maybe that means reserving something so tour operators or restaurants can get an idea of how many people to expect, or putting money down on accommodations or experiences in Italy.

I also made a video on IGTV talking more about the situation, and will be updating my stories with more info and what daily life is here under lockdown.

Everything in Rome feels a little bit crazy right now, but I have no doubt considering the outcry of support both within the country and outside its borders, that we will make it through this.