All of Italy in complete lockdown now!

[NotSuchASmugMarriedNow1]

On news a short while ago - I guess it was only a matter of time before this happened.

I wonder if Italy is just the first European country to get this and other countries will follow.

@curiouschickpea I am in lockdown in northern Italy and I am still really confused about the rules tbh. There aren't many people about but dd wants to go out on her bike. Not sure if that's allowed or not!

@BookMeontheSudExpress Wow, that's crazy. I haven't been to the supermarket for a while though so perhaps it is the same here and I haven't realised.

I know!
I think as long as people aren't walking in groups of 15 and touching each other it's allowed.
I haven't been further than the shops but certainly in the mornings its life as usual apart from the letting a few people in at a time.

@Seventyone72seventy3 That was all my colleague said, apart from that it feels like a 'crazy situation'. I didn't ask any further details. It seems odd that even there it isn't clear to you what the rules are. I really hope life isn't made too awful for you all.

We've just heard from SIL that tonight there will be helicopters spraying disinfectant over the town, people are getting scared now.

@pinkywoo - no offence to your MIL but that sounds like some FB fake news to me. What would be the point? Sicily is not particularly contagious. Most disinfectant from a helicopter would just disinfect rooftops - and I don't think rooftops are particularly dangerous!

That's scary @Pinkywoo can people still do online food shopping for those who can't get to the supermarket?

@twosoups1972 I have an online order pending for next week - I hope it won't be cancelled! There weren't any slots left for this week.

The helicopter thing is fake news. Tell your relative to check on bufale.it

I’m also in Northern Italy and you can still go shopping, but you need to queue up outside with your trolley as only about 5 people at a time are let in. Even the railway station is letting only a few people in at a time, which is a challenge when there are fewer trains anyway and you need to get to work. I’m wfh but sometimes need to get to the office. I have to carry a form with me stating that I need to travel for work purposes, even though I’m only travelling 10kms to Milan.

You can still go out for a walk and get a coffee from a bar, you’re just discouraged from congregating in groups. Although all the kids are going stir crazy and the park is packed!

The helicopter thing mentioned in a PP is certainly a bufala. There was some loon trying to say the same down my way but with a crop sprayer. It did not happen.

@Seventyone72seventy3 you're right, FIL has just said that the helicopters have been exaggerated but they are disinfecting, SIL fell for the fake news and convinced us it was real, sorry!

They've been disinfecting overnight for about 3 weeks now in many places.

These tweets by one of the twin tv doctor’s (he is an infectious disease specialist), Chris Van Tulleken explains the reasons why it is not a good idea to shut down at this stage.