I have a friend living in Torino, La Mia Citta’. (Italy) I’m not sure how long he and his wife have been quarantined, but I do love reading his updates and viewing the photos he shares. I also feel sorry for him sometimes. He’s quarantined with his mother-in-law — I just have dogs. 🙂
Not at all a typical sighting here along the Po this morning. Between about 9:15 and 9:30 a helicopter from the Fire Department was making passes along the river. What a sound! And the water that moved as it passed over the breakwater was quite something. There were a number of fire trucks and personnel in the park across the river but it looked less like responding to an emergency than perhaps looking to control the flow of people who’ve been using the park for jogging, strolling, bicycling and dog-walking despite all the stay-at-home rules. (At least my hope is they’re looking to control that a bit more.).
La Gran Madre, Monte dei Cappuccini and Superga in the distance
Today is #27 for me… QwD (quarantined with dogs).
Locally, the line at Walmart upon opening (at Perry’s store in Madison — and probably all of them) is still crazy. They set-up a queue line with signs about social distancing for those waiting to get in the door. Although the number of shoppers in stores in Italy is limited, the same is not true around here.
Marion County is on a red travel advisory — emergency only travel per Indiana Dept. of Homeland Security. My county of Jackson is still clear — Perry’s work county is yellow… a cautionary advisory. You can view the map here: https://www.in.gov/dhs/traveladvisory/
Looking out my kitchen window, it’s foggy at daybreak and it’s only about 35° F. It will hit about 61° by afternoon today with some sun rolling in. How about that for day #27 of quarantined with dogs?
And finally, just a quick share of my friend’s assessment regarding the current COVID-19 situation in Italy. I trust this so much more than news reports or even those youtube videos of folks wanting attention:
The only reason you are allowed to be out is shopping at the food markets, at a pharmacy, a newsstand or a tobacco shop; to go to what’s considered essential work, to go to a medical office if needed or to walk your dog within 200 meters of home. And when you leave your home you are required to complete and sign a form giving the reason and your destination. No bicycling (except food deliverers), no jogging or even walking just to get fresh air. People are complaining that they can’t take their kids out for a walk but that dogs can go out (and some people are walking their dogs 5 times or more a day). The situation here is serious in terms of the overwhelm in the hospitals, more so in a couple of other regions than ours but it’s definitely taxing doctors and nurses who have to maintain distance from their spouses and children. It’s rare to see the police stopping and challenging people, and if they do, I doubt most are getting fined the up-to €3000 penalty for unauthorized presence outdoors. So every day it seems like more people are out against the rules. I even wonder if some people didn’t rent a dog for now to have a built-in excuse to go outside often.