Alberto, Why Is Italy's COVID-19 Situation Serious? "Initially Responded Well, But..."

On the 23rd, broadcaster Alberto, who appeared on JTBC's entertainment show 'Love of 7.7 Billion,' talked about why the novel coronavirus infection is severe in Italy.
Photo by JTBC

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kang Juhee] Broadcaster Alberto shared his thoughts on why the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is severe in his home country, Italy.

On the afternoon of the 23rd, the JTBC variety show 'Love of 7.7 Billion' aired an episode discussing the theme 'COVID-19 Sweeping the World.'

The cast asked Alberto, who is from Italy, if he was worried because the situation in his country was not good. In response, Alberto began, "Italy currently has the highest fatality rate worldwide and the highest number of deaths."

He said, "I think Italy initially did well like Korea. We conducted many tests, so there were many confirmed cases, and the response was good," but added, "However, many citizens did not listen to the government at first. The travel restrictions imposed to prevent the spread were not followed, and within a few days, the number of confirmed cases increased dramatically."

He continued to describe the situation in Italy: "Right now, you cannot leave your home. You need documents to move around. If you don't comply, you face up to 3 months in prison or a fine," and added, "Sports, performances, and various events have all been suspended, and shops are not operating."

Joachim speculated, "In my view, the reason Italy is in chaos is because people greet each other with kisses," and Alberto agreed.

Alberto also speculated, "Italy has a culture of pre-meal drinks called 'Aperitivo.' It is a culture where colleagues or friends have a drink together before going home after work. Also, because the travel restrictions were initially imposed only in northern Italy, people from other regions escaped, which was another cause."