It was a Friday, the 21st of February, when for the first time Italians started to understand that Coronavirus would not be just an isolated and a distant Chinese problem but a new and unknown virus to deal with also in our country. I was at work and the media start to speak about the first Italian positive person in Italy, it happened in Codogno a small town in North Italy not far from Milan, the town where I leave and work.

At first no one really understood the gravity of the situation, but as the virus spread rapidly people became awareness of its terrible impact. Just speaking with people leaving in the red zone could give you a more realistic description of situation face by population and the national health system. 

Remembering that weekend it was the last almost “normal” one and now appears to be so strange, it was still spent with friends and families, close to each other with hugs as symbols of love and still not a symbol of possible infection.

I started almost  immediately working from home and since that day I have never missed any workday. Unfortunately it is not for everyone and the health emergency has become in Italy also a social and economy crisis due to the lockdown.

Disorientation about what it was happening was my feeling during that period, several data pieces started pouring-in, not always consistent with each other, mostly communicated by media, did not help with a better comprehension of the reality. Soon this feeling turned in a real uncertainty about the way we are facing the problem: our national health system that used to be one of the best in the world started to be in trouble with the huge numbers of patients arriving in hospital in very bad condition. It had started to become clear regarding the importance of the immediate action by the general practitioners as soon as they encountered ‘positive’ patients. 

I am still working in ‘smart working’ mode augmented by technology,  as requested by government for any jobs that allows to do it. Working remotely has become an emergency solution for the short term to a near permanent situation used by millions of employed. The perception of peace, as if the time had slowed down  eople no longer were sending hours to commute to offices, combined with the closure of non-essential activities, gave an impression of calm unlike the previously stressful routine. It is a period where music, reading and meditation found their way in the new routine and became essential to better face the emergency. My gaze that used to be addressed to the outside to all the activities that used to be done outside home, now was pointed towards a more introspective analysis, with less external stimulus. Afterall the drive should arrive directly from inside; it seem to be after 3 months of lockdown much more natural like this than the life ever before. 

Now that the pick of the  medical emergency seems to be passed-off, thanks the great effort of all healthcare professionals, although leaving thousands dead,  it appears clear the tremendous social and economical heritage this external shock would live, the state will play a pivot role to activate all the anti-cyclical measures needed in order to relaunch and resurrect the social and economic activities. 

In conclusion, this period as marked sadly the life of many, showing the importance of the relationship between people, the lockdown has reminded us that we are social animals and good personal health is not possible when the society is unwell.

About the Author

Valerio Fata is an easy-going person born 32 years ago in Milan, with a passion for wellness and cultures in  all their forms such as art, meditation and sport.  As personal philosophy Valerio follows a holistic approach to better understand the reality we perceive. Valerio graduated in macroeconomics and further continued his education in this this discipline with a special focus on different monetary and fiscal systems used by different central banks and governments. Valerio is  an ITC consultant with 5 years of experience in the energy sector. He received his Master’s in International Business Development and has worked for 2 years as an international market research professional. During his education years he spent time In Finland, India and Canada as an exchange student gaining exposure in different economies.