In the early days of the Italian Covid-19 lockdown, Paolo Giordano says that in Rome there was a certain camaraderie and plenty of jokes. “We all saw the TV pictures of people singing from balconies. There was a positive spirit you British would appreciate because you have good humour,” he says. “But then we saw the TV pictures of the military trucks transporting bodies to the cemetery in Bergamo and that was the moment for many when we thought, ‘Is this really happening?’ But the maths tells us the plain truth: yes, and this is just the beginning.”As the UK enters lockdown, we cleave to the words of politicians, scientists and doctors. In Italy, a different sort of figurehead has emerged.

Source: The Times March 24, 2020 17:09 UTC