The impact of the coronavirus on Florence, the plague of the 21st century

The impact of the coronavirus on Florence, the plague of the 21st century

PHOTOS & SPANISH VERSION BELOW

In the last few weeks, all the news (economy, politics, sports, society, art, entertainment) from every single medium have been infected with the coronavirus. And the worst: they have turned Italy into a plagued country, which should not be visited and from which one cannot leave. Italian citizens are now considered the absolute culprits of the spread of the virus in Europe.

Florence is a ghost city these days. 15,000 North-American students have left Tuscany and returned to their home country. The new decree-law launched by Giuseppe Conte, Italian Prime Minister, forces to closure museums, theatres, cinemas, clubs and gyms, to cancel all events, and people to stay home until April 3. Commercial establishments such as bars, restaurants, hairdressers or any stores will be closed until March 25. Only supermarkets and pharmacies, in addition to public services (transport, post, factories) will continue to operate.

Suspended classes, deserted monuments, closed museums and commercial premises, empty streets and hotels, worried people in business… And this quarantine is just the beginning. Is it the end of a society based on productivity and consumption and the origin of a new social and economic paradigm which will follow the probable collapse of the economy? For the time being, joint responsibility and to stay home is essential.


El impacto del coronavirus en Florencia, la peste del siglo XXI

En las últimas semanas, todas las noticias (economía, política, deportes, sociedad, arte, entretenimiento) de todos los medios de comunicación imaginables han sido infectados por el coronavirus. Y lo peor: han convertido a Italia en un país apestado, al que no se debe acudir y del que no se puede salir, y a sus ciudadanos en los culpables absolutos de la expansión del virus en Europa.

Florencia está estos días semivacía. 15 000 estudiantes estadounidenses han abandonado Toscana y han regresado a su país de origen. El nuevo decreto ley de Giuseppe Conte, primer ministro italiano, obliga a cerrar museos, teatros, cines, discotecas, gimnasios y a cancelar todos los eventos hasta el 3 de abril. Establecimientos comerciales como bares, restaurantes, peluquerías o tiendas permanecerán cerrados hasta el 25 de marzo. Solo supermercados y farmacias, además de servicios públicos (transporte, correos, fábricas) seguirán funcionando.

Clases suspendidas, monumentos desiertos, museos cerrados, calles y hoteles vacíos, empresarios preocupados, locales comerciales clausurados… Y esta cuarentena es solo el principio… ¿Se aproxima el fin de una sociedad basada en la productividad y el consumo y el comienzo de un nuevo orden social y económico tras un previsible colapso de la economía? Por el momento, la corresponsabilidad y el confinamiento de la población en sus casas es esencial.

Author Gravater

Paco Neumann

Paco Neumann is a journalist, photographer, proofreader, flâneur and perpetual amateur currently living in between Florence, Berlin, Paris and Tenerife. He´s been a regular contributor to fashion, art, trend and lifestyle magazines and worked for news, advertising and communication agencies

Related Post

Leave a comment