I am in Italy. Sorry for the typing errors and sorry for the wall of text, but I'm writing fast and there's too much to say.
It's hell. Don't joke, it's serious stuff. Trust me, I'm not a left-wing fake news media BS.
Even the most stingy people here are saying let's halt it all, f**k the economy the thing is too scary, health system is close to crash, we can't keep moving.
This thing if not contained will crash your country health system.
I agree those people piling up toilet paper are just dumb, but I want to tell you the emergency here is real.
Food shops and pharmacies here are open even during the lockdown, so no need to rush like that.
Stats are getting worse by the day. Up until two days ago I was minimising it too.
But stats are climbing exponentially. Like 2500 new positive cases per day. The age of the hospitalized is lowering day by day. Just a few minutes ago a doctor was interview and he told he's scared as the average patient now is like 40-45yo.
Deaths are still over 68yo until yesterday and "that is fine".
But it's lowering and it's spreading to healthy people. A military officer just died at 67yo and was perfectly healthy, regularly checked and everything.
You can go from fever to death in like 15-20 days.
North of Italy is HELL.
Hospitals are full, more infected means more into ICU. IIRC 1 out of 10 infected ends up into ICU, or maybe more. I've seen so many numbers these days now I can't remember.
There are not enough ICU beds and respirators. Not everyone in hospital needs a respirator straight away. Maybe if you don't heal, you need it after a few days.
The lungs stop working and you have to be intubated for like 15 days. That's why hospitals are full.
They're trying a few drugs and some seem working, but are still in test trial on a small number of cases.
There is a lockdown right now. Every retail shop unless food or primary necessities has been closed. Even restaurants/bars are closed now.
Not even funerals are allowed.
Gov told people to stay at home unless 1) road to work and back only, no run around 2) shop for food 3) health issues like go buy meds or go care old people in need
We have to fill a form writing your IDs and where are we going. That's like a sworn statement. Police will take the forms and random stop people and do check.
Yesterday they weren't really enforcing it as it was first day. Today like 2600+ people has been caught and fined 260 euros and crime charges pending up to 3 months.
This is for the not infected. The infected can be put on home quarantine if symptoms are light. If you have done the test and are infected, and you go outside that's serious jail time up to 12 years.
People is working from home. the hashtag is #stayathome, but it's s**t and doesn't work. Italian businesses aren't ready for remote work.
Today even the biggest internet provider collapsed for half an hour and even if they were only 30mins it was panic.
some recent stats said 82% of sole traders have just stopped working.
Many shops and businesses already gave up working at all days ago.
The place is empty, there's nearly nobody outside, this lockdown it's valid in the whole country right now.
Some people could be positive to the virus but have no symptoms, e.g. no fever no cough. they infect others without knowing.
What's happening is that elderly are infected by young and if they're like over 70yo there's a damn good chance of ending in hospital.
In Italy average age is pretty high so this is an issue.
I am right wing, don't like this gov, but it's a damn hard thing to handle.
What's scaring is that it happened in the most advanced area of Italy, with best hospitals etc.
if the thing spreads to the south it will be a mass slaughter.
People as soon the alert started flee from the red hot areas to more safer ones... spreading it to other regions.
Symptoms start showing after some days you get it, not straight away, so it's hard to know until either you're tested or you get hard symptoms.
We have an above the average ICU beds. And we are like 15days ahead of other EU countries.
UK, Spain, France god bless them next week it'll be their time.
Spain is the one I think I'll be at least as worse as Italy. Give it 2 weeks from now.
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