Coronavirus: Italy’s harmonious path through the pandemic

High vaccination rates, few protests, great social cohesion – Italy has so far come through the pandemic surprisingly harmoniously. There are reasons for this, says one of the best-known sociologists in the country.

Today the mask falls in the open and people in the country have been looking forward to it for days. “I’m happy,” says 42-year-old Sara, who runs a clothing store in the Trieste district of Rome. She hopes the worst is behind the country now. “To cancel the obligation to wear masks outdoors is an important sign”.

A mask requirement that Italy introduced in April 2020 as the first country in Europe and only suspended for a few months in between. Those responsible in Italy also appealed to continue to take the risk of the corona virus seriously, despite the current easing.

Restrictions accepted without much protest

Today’s end of the mask requirement is a turning point in Italy – in a country where the vast majority of the population has accepted the anti-Covid restrictions without major protests. One of Italy’s best-known sociologists, Carmen Leccardi from Milan’s Bicocca University, says with regard to Italian society and how it is dealing with the pandemic:

Despite its sometimes dramatic health and economic problems, Italy has come through the crisis more harmoniously than other countries. Quite astonishing, because Rome took a tough course in the fight against Covid until the easing that has now begun. First with the strictest lockdown in Europe and the obligation to wear masks outdoors, most recently with compulsory vaccination for numerous professional groups and for all over 50-year-olds.

Italy stuck together

But resistance was always limited. There are reasons for this cohesion in Italy in the pandemic, says Leccari, former chair of the European Sociological Society: “It is necessary to look at the beginning, when Italy suffered a real shock”.

At that time, in the first wave in spring 2020, the country was hit more dramatically than any other in Europe. “In this catastrophe, and that’s what you have to call it,” says Leccardi, “as is often the case in such situations, solidarity developed between people.” A solidarity, says the sociologist, that has largely survived to this day.

Italians are very willing to vaccinate

The reason for this is that unpleasant regulations, such as the obligation to wear masks outdoors, were observed in a relatively disciplined manner. Leccardi says the Italians are very willing to vaccinate compared to other European countries:

If it is convincingly demonstrated that vaccination increases the chance of survival, “then the population is willing to go in that direction.”

Newfound trust in the institutions

In the vaccination rate, Italy is scratching the 90 percent mark in the population group of over 12-year-olds these days. This, says Leccardi, also has something to do with politics: “Despite everything, there was renewed trust in the institutions.” The Draghi government’s anti-Covid strategy continues to get good marks from the population, and the organization by the Covid special commissioner Figliuolo enjoys broad recognition.

The shock of the dramatic first wave, the feeling of solidarity among the population and institutions that, according to many, worked: These, says Leccardi, are the reasons why Italy stood together so well during the pandemic: “I’m surprised myself, as an Italian and Sociologist, on this response from the Italian population, so strong during the crisis.”