I Am You a Few Weeks From Now

Hello everyone. I wish I had something else to write about these days but I feel like this is an important post. Most people who are reading this (I assume) live outside of Italy and so I just wanted to give a little update, some advice for what you should be doing now(!), and share why this needs to be taken very seriously by everybody, not just the elderly. So get your coffee ready, change your sweats, and let’s get to it.

So first the update. I am living in Milan which is in the northern region, Lombardy. Lombardy is currently the area with the largest numbers of those infected with COVID-19. Our first case was identified outside of Milan February 21, 2020. Schools in the region have been closed since then and events cancelled. If you look at some of my past posts about COVID-19 you can read more information about how this all progressed. March 7, 2020 the Italian prime minister declared Lombardy a red zone and that we were in lockdown. March 9, 2020 the prime minister announced that all of Italy is officially in lockdown. What does lockdown mean? Well we are asked to stay in our houses and we can only leave for things that are absolutely necessary. Today is March 22, 2020 and since then are numbers have only gotten worse, with most of them being in the Lombardy region, and the rules of the lockdown have gotten stricter. Grocery stores are changing their hours, people are no longer allowed to practice sport outside (ex: running, walking), and everything will be closed unless it is a supermarket or pharmacy. At this point I am just waiting for the government to announce The Hunger Games and I have to put my name in. Up until now I have been home for 4 weeks and in lockdown for 2. I am you in a few weeks.

So with everything going on Mackenzie what can we do? Well I am so glad you asked. Stay home. Well what if I just have family over for dinner? Nope you’ll be endangering your loved ones. What if I go hiking with my friends and stay away from others? Don’t do that either. There is too much contact and things you need to do or use to actually get to the hiking place. The earlier everyone stays home, and lessens their contact with others and shared surfaces, the more likely the spread will slow down and we will #flattenthecurve. I know it is tempting to go outside and enjoy the spring weather but the more you do outside now the more time you’ll be inside. Trust me. Remember we also had rules in the beginning. Events cancelled, schools closed, no more than a few people in one place at one time, and social distancing. We didn’t listen and look where we are. Everybody has examples in front of them and it’s time to start paying attention and learning from them.

Why do we need to take it seriously, it just affects elderly people, right? Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! Yes, it is affecting them more but it is affecting everybody. Some worse than others but there is a large majority of people infected that have been in the ICU. I don’t remember the flu sending everyone to the ICU. Italy’s "patient 1” is a 38 man with no prior conditions and was in the ICU for 3 weeks. This is affecting everyone differently. Some more, some less but it’s not just the elderly. Right now the hospitals are so full they are talking about using war time tactics and deciding who needs to be saved more. There are advertisements on TV asking anyone with any kind of medical experience to help. Military trucks have filled the streets of a small town close to Milan because there are too many bodies and no one can have funerals. Guys its real. It’s happening and its serious.

I wish I could end this post on a happier note but I really want everyone to realize what’s coming. I am tired of seeing people on social media out and about and not doing what they can which is STAY HOME. Everyone take care and stay healthy.