Italian lockdown

I am quite happy to stay at home and self isolate if that’s what is required.

Yes, Vegansrock. I have British colleagues who are based in Italy. Better healthcare than the uk.

Tour company says that holidays after 3rd April are going ahead at the moment, so I still can't cancel and get a refund unless Foreign Office advice changes. Whatever, I am still not happy at travelling to Italy so may well cancel, and will sit tight till as late as possible.

Sky News is reporting that the whole of Italy is now on lockdown

China has obviously got the better health system given that the millions living there and their ratio of illnesses/deaths are more than comparable to Italy.

One of my daughters friends has been told by the large Car manufacturing company he works for that they need him to work out in Italy in two weeks time. He has a young family at home and is worried regarding the risk of infecting his little ones on his return. His wife has suggested that he self isolates by taking himself to one of the Uk airport hotels for two weeks after he returns rather than return straight home. Surely employers should not be putting staff in such risk in the first place, or at least offering to pay for their self isolation hotel bill on return where young families or other members with high risk pre-existing conditions are.involved.

Every country has different views on the situation, different restrictions, different levels of care etc. This is exactly where the notion of a European Union falls down, because surely it should be one rule for all member countries?

Worrying news about whole of Italy on lockdown. Could it, will it happen here?

60 million people in lockdown. Didn't see that coming to so soon. But no flights suspended??

It's all about money, Daisymae. Greed comes before the health of individuals. Shocking.

jura2 Sun 08-Mar-20 19:21:17
yes, I get it in his case. We certainly have no intention of cancelling our yearly trip to Tuscany- let's hope we can drive as usual

If you are still with us Jura I’d be looking for a Plan B as all of Italy is now on lockdown. .

My sister and her family live close to Venice. We were looking forward to her son's wedding on April 24th. Eight of my family have flights and 3 apartments booked. My nephew is now trying to postpone the wedding. Feel so sorry for him and his fiancée. We are all going to lose out financially, but what I cannot get my head around is WHY are airlines (EasyJet!) still flying people to and from Italy. Sooo irresponsible and money grabbing.

We received an email from KLM today, offering to cancel tickets for flying between now and the end of May, without any penalties, and issue vouchers for new flights at a later date.

I guess airlines will now have to suspend flights to and from Italy if the whole of Italy is in lockdown?

I think some airlines will find cabin crew and pilots refusing to work soon, then there will be no flights anyway.

Does this lockdown mean no one is going to work apart from essential services???

Poor italy I feel very sad about it. Does anyone here know of people,starting to cancel activities such as knitting groups bridge clubs etc given their usual demographic? I gather the committee of a club I go to is meeting tonight to discuss it

There's irony for you Lucca

Indeed!

I have seen people question elsewhere why is Italy struggling with so many cases. Others have answered that initially people did not take it too seriously 'its just the flu' and more or less carried on as normal. I don't know personally if that's the case. But Italy is a much visited country so seems likely that the infection got established early on. Italy apparently has an excellent healthcare system and yet is close to it's limit in the north. I am at a loss to understand why more intensive measures have not been taken to reduce the spread here. I think that we have to take responsibility for our own health and do whatever we think right to reduce the spread.

Good post daisy mae

Have been looking about and I can answer my own question as to why the government is not taking action. A few days ago Johnson said on TV that we should 'take it on the chin without taking Draconian action' so there you have it from the horses mouth. Let it spread and do nothing is government policy. I think we should worry

I find it terrifying that we have a PM that is not capable of leading us. S*d politics, but we need a leader!

Anyone that can steer the UK through this crisis will have their political position assured for the foreseeable.

Artols, I think I would probably cancel the trip. Our news station reported that Italy was just behind in China in the percentage of those who have contracted the virus. I'd want to be home if I suddenly tested positive for the disease.

Italy gets far more tourists than any other country in Europe, many of them from China, and it has one of the oldest populations in Europe , which perhaps explains why unluckily it has been hit so hard. My relatives are ok and all being well we will visit in the autumn now. Interestingly, an elderly aunt goes into an old people’s home for a couple of months in the winter ( she comes home when the weather is warmer) and no visitors are now allowed. Maybe the U.K. should follow suit.,