Today I visited with Carmine Ussano, owner of Private Luxury Tours in Italy Inc. & Private Tours of Southern Italy and More. I’ve worked with Carmine for well over 10 years, and I trust him to help us understand the situation in Italy. Here are a few thoughts we wanted to share with you:
Carmine, how are you & your family, and what is the COVID-19 status in Italy right now?
My family is okay–they have been in quarantine for almost 3 weeks, and unfortunately, they are very scared and sad in this surreal time. The Italian government has strictly quarantined everyone right now; the only businesses that are open are supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations, and businesses involved in primary needs. Everyone else has to stay at home, and fines are up to 4000 Euros ($4,408 USD) if you are walking or driving around for no important reason.
How is the virus affecting the people of Italy right now?
The coronavirus is affecting Italy in so many ways–the main one being the death of many people, especially in the Northern Area of Italy between Milan and Bergamo. I’ve realized that what matters most right now is the health of the Italian citizens and others here from around the world.
Do you have any insight into when Americans might return to your lovely country?
If the situation doesn’t change fairly quickly, Italy may not be able to welcome our American guests and friends until September. Most seasonal workers will have zero income for this time, so I decided to start a fundraising campaign for the families of seasonal workers in Italy affected by the COVID-19 quarantine. Click here (https://bit.ly/2Jvvo6D) to donate to this cause! I sincerely hope that the virus will be defeated soon. We will be waiting to welcome travelers back into our country!
Thanks for sharing, Carmine! Our thoughts are with you all.