ITALY has taken the unprecedented step of closing all schools and universities in an attempt to halt the spread of the coronavirus, which has so far killed 107 people and infected more than 3,000 in Europe’ s worst outbreak. Giuseppe Conte, the prime minister, announced that schools and universities will be closed from today until March 15. “We wanted to adopt all possible measures to obtain either the direct containment of the virus or a slowing down of its spread,” said Mr Conte, speaking in Rome. Hospitals are struggling to cope with the number of infected patients and intensive care units risked being overwhelmed. “It was not an easy decision for the government,” Lucia Azzolina, the education minister, said. “We waited for the opinions of our scientific committee and we have decided to suspend teaching activities. “I hope pupils can return to school as soon as possible my commitment is to ensure that the essential public service, albeit from a distance, is provided to all our students,” she said, speaking alongside the prime minister. The drastic measures will have a profound impact on millions of Italian families, particularly those in which both parents have full-time jobs. It left Italian parents scrambling to find last-minute childcare, amid speculation that the closures could extend beyond March 15 if the government deems it necessary. Schools have been closed since Feb 24 in the northern regions worst hit by the emergency – Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-romagna – as well as in the regions of Piedmont and Friuli Venezia Giulia. But the government’ s decree extends the closures to the whole country. “It’ s a decision without precedent, but the priority is the public’ s health,” said Antonello Giannelli, president of the national association of head teachers. Roberto Burioni, a prominent virologist, said: “We are facing a dangerous and highly contagious epidemic that could plunge the national health system into crisis. We have to do everything we can to contain it.” Matteo Salvini, the leader of the hardright League, called for the government to “urgently” provide financial help for working parents who will struggle to look after their children at home. At the same time, a government minister placed himself in voluntary isolation. Stefano Patuanelli, the economic development minister, said he had come to into contact with a regional politician in Lombardy who has since tested positive for the coronavirus. A national consumer association said the closures would leave millions of Italians scrambling to make emergency arrangements. “There will be enormous consequences for Italian families,” said Codacons in a statement. “Those who cannot rely on grandparents or relatives will have to obtain permission from work for time off, which will result in a drop in productivity in the whole of Italy and enormous economic repercussions. Or they will have to use babysitters, with all the costs that entails.” The government also debated a swathe of other measures affecting daily life that are intended to contain the spread of the virus. Ministers advised Italians to stop kissing, hugging and shaking hands when they meet each other and advised people over the age of 75 – the most vulnerable section of the population – to stay indoors as much as possible. The government said people should try to remain at least a yard apart when out in public – spelling commercial disaster for cinemas, theatres, museums and galleries, where people are generally in proximity. In another measure which will cut to the core of Italian identity, Serie A football matches, and all other sports, are to be played behind closed doors until April. While the outbreak remains largely concentrated in the northern regions of Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-romagna, it is spreading and cases have appeared in Rome, Sardinia and as far south as Calabria and Sicily. The only one of Italy’ s 20 regions not to have an infection is tiny Val d’ aosta on the French border. With flights and hotel bookings cancelled and international tourists staying away, the crisis is having a huge impact on Italy’ s already faltering economy. The coronavirus will likely cost the tourism sector 7.4 billion (£6.4 billion) in losses over the next three months, according to Confturismo-confcommercio, the industry’ s confederation. “The situation is dramatic for the whole sector”, said Luca Patanè, the association’ s president. Confindustria, an industry lobby group, said Italy was already in recession and forecast a drop in GDP in both the first and second quarters of this year. In Rome, famous sights such as the Vatican and the Trevi Fountain are eerily quiet compared with normal.
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Tags: Coronavirus