Italian government under pressure from local companies to 'unblock' the economy

(Patria) – Many Italian companies and academics are pressuring the government to reopen factories to prevent an economic catastrophe.

The situation is all the more complex because the areas most affected by the epidemic are precisely the industrial areas that account for the third largest economic income.

Veneto, Lombardia, and Emilia Romagna, Italy's most affected regions, are densely covered with factories with strong economic ties to China, which is considered the route through which the virus reached these parts of Italy.

More than 150 Italian academics have signed a letter published in the Italian financial newspaper Il Sole-24 Ore, in which they appeal to the government to 'reopen' the economy.

The letter states, among other things, that 'social and economic consequences can cause irreversible damage, probably more serious than that caused by the virus'.

Two weeks after the government ordered the closure of all non-essential factories, Italian businesses are demanding the lifting of the ban to avoid mass job losses.

The total death toll in Italy has reached an alarming 16,500. The government has extended the emergency measures until April 13, but they are expected to be extended again at least until the end of April.

The slight decrease in the grim statistics of the coronavirus in Italy, as well as the assumption that the epidemic may have reached its peak in the country, gives hope to the population of the most affected country by the pandemic that the worst is over, but also concern for the future if businesses remain closed for some time longer.

The World Health Organization appeals to all countries not to lift measures too early to avoid a second wave of infection.

Italy, like most other countries, does not have a strategic plan for safely lifting measures, which is a consequence of fighting an invisible and absolutely unpredictable enemy whose defeat and withdrawal time are unknown.

Some members of the Italian government expect strict security measures to be established as a condition for people to return to work, while others advocate for a gradual lifting of measures.

Italian authorities are mentioning the possibility of lifting measures by sector, rather than based on geographical location, combined with mandatory mask-wearing, social distancing, and parallel strengthening of health systems.

Testing of the population would continue, as well as 'tracking' the contacts of infected individuals to break the chains of infection.

At the same time, trade unions have threatened to strike if the government decides to open non-essential businesses earlier, noting that health is more important than money. Also, many companies advocating for reopening are not prepared to ask staff to return to work because they are deeply aware of the risks.

Authorities in northern Italy have begun testing medical workers for antibodies to identify individuals who have acquired immunity to the coronavirus. Such individuals will likely be issued permits to return to work.

Like other countries, antibody testing would also help Italy create a better epidemiological and immunological picture of the nation – which, again, takes time.