The "furbetti" of the quarantine in Italy

The Prime Minister Conte signed yesterday a new decree extending the limitations on individual freedoms, with value until April 13th. With this new law, we obviously want to avoid that, taking advantage of the Easter period, notoriously characterized by trips and short trips, the population poured out of the house en masse, negating the effects of the quarantine imposed in this period. The recommendations on individual distancing follow one another unceasingly in the media, in newspapers, on social media but…. It is clear that the limitations of individual freedoms (which obviously do not please anyone) are not always respected.

For some, these are simple momentary "transgressions" which, in their opinion, do no harm to the community. For others, we are faced with real cases of voluntary, serious "disobedience", often implemented with the aim of "transgressing" at all costs, highlighting the total absence of the most basic principles of civil coexistence with their own kind. If these were not behaviors that could seriously harm public health and therefore worthy of the maximum condemnation, the case studies of the complaints that the police forces communicate every day (more than 6000 only yesterday) could create hilarity.

I will limit myself to listing some of these facts which highlight, if by chance there was still a need, the fantasy that characterizes us Italians even in dramatic circumstances such as those we are experiencing. These are news that I have collected in recent days from numerous newspapers of our Peninsula. Let's start with the simplest: in Fano, in the Marche region, the police tracked down and reported 6 people who were quietly training in a gym together with the owner (the latter also risks the withdrawal of the license). Near Biella, in Piedmont, 3 boys caught smoking a joint in a car together. In Lombardy, near Como, a mayor expressly condemned some of his fellow citizens who took "fake dogs and fake cats" for a walk.

A volunteer from 118 in Milan "borrowed" the ambulance that he drove to reach his partner who lives near Como: both reported naturally! Near Ravenna, a man stopped by the police by car justified himself by saying that he was going to a job interview; the check carried out by the agents not only made the declaration false but also led to declaring the state of alcohol intoxication in which he was at that moment. In Cesenatico, in Romagna, a woman was stopped during a check-up and claimed to be around to bring food to stray cats: obviously not an adequate excuse.

In Mantua two young people were reported 4 times in a few days for contravening the provisions; the last time they were found bivouacking on a bench in the city park; their justification was: "We only met to spend some time together." In Albano, Lazio, a couple of thirty-year-old carers were reported because they used the elderly person that they had to look after as an excuse to leave the house, not taking into account that the elderly are the ones who must be protected more from the dangers of contagion. Also in Lazio, a lady from Nettuno was stopped at night, in pajamas, while chasing her husband who, according to his statements, was going to his lover.

On the same day a 75-year-old gentleman was stopped in the Spanish Steps in Rome: he claimed to have gone out to buy the newspaper but it turned out that he lived in Colli Albani. A 21-year-old boy was stopped in Rome by police officers because, on board his car together with his eighteen-year-old girlfriend, seeing the roadblock, he made a risky maneuver to enter a rest area. It was noticed and reached by the policemen who, in addition to contesting the violations relating to the ban on leaving the house without valid reasons, also ascertained that the young man had no driving license for never having obtained it; also reported for resistance to agents during the check.

In Sicily, a stopped man handed over the self-declaration which revealed that he had gone out to shop. Having no package with him, he explained to the agents that he was actually going to find his mistress because he urgently needed to talk to her. Also in Sicily, a mother was forced to communicate to the police that despite the ban, the daughter had decided to go out anyway because she could not help but have a drink with a friend. An 28-year-old Egyptian was stopped in Rimini from Milan and justified his presence by saying that he was tired of being closed in the Lombard capital and that he wanted to control the situation on the Riviera.

A prize for sincerity should be awarded to a man who, surprised in Turin during a check, regularly presented the self-certification on which he had written that he was going to the capital "to satisfy his three lovers, all residing in Turin". It is certainly a complex situation that the population is experiencing in these days and, thanks to the sun that promises to be particularly present in Easter week, the desire to go out, walk and socialize is particularly evident, especially among young people. However, we must try to resist, to sacrifice ourselves a few more weeks for all of us and our neighbor, certain that the defeat of the infection will find us ready to resume our habits with greater enthusiasm.