Italy will be saved by its tight-knit society

A cavalier approach to rules may have contributed to its dire health crisis, but its social fabric is strong

The world’s highest death toll from coronavirus outside China. The country in lockdown. Prisoners rioting. An economy in freefall. In the space of a few weeks, my native Italy has been transformed from a favourite tourist destination to a plague-ridden no-man’s land. The Dolce Vita has turned sour.

When I Skype my extended family in Piemonte, a prosperous region in the north west hitherto associated with Gavi and truffles, they stoke my fears: my namesake, little Cristina, is being kept home from kindergarten until April 3; her parents have to fill in an “auto certifying” form whenever they go anywhere specifying their point of departure and destination, that they are not infected, and that they are taking measures to prevent infection. Caterina, my late father’s beloved carer, is terrified of venturing beyond her courtyard because she is in her 60s and an ex-smoker. Interspersed with views of their fridge, stuffed with delicacies, and a wine rack groaning under the weight of Barolo, Barbera, and Nebbiolo, my relatives ask: “Why us?”

One reason why Italy is bearing the brunt of the virus is demography. Almost a quarter of the population is over 65 – the age group most likely to be affected by Covid-19. Italy has been ageing for decades now; the birthrate, down to 1.35 births per woman, is one of the lowest in Europe. The diaspora of talented (or just ambitious) young Italians, weary of a shrinking economy and an entrenched gerontocracy, has only exacerbated the “grey nation” .

But many are arguing that the Italians have brought this trouble upon themselves. Haven’t they always adopted a laid-back attitude to rules? On a recent walk through our village with my (very English) husband, we passed a lovely, listed house. A group of workers were cheerfully knocking it down. A nearby notice stated that the building was in “hazardous condition”, damaged during the

“recent earthquake”. When we asked the foreman he shrugged his shoulders: “The owner wants a new villa instead of this old one.” In Italy, rules are not ropes to bind us but ribbons to tug at, and wrap around our little finger. Taxes are dodged, speed limits ignored, no-smoking signs flouted. No wonder, given this devil-may-care mentality, that the strict precautions and procedures required in any public health campaign have failed to take hold.

And yet. Although there is cause for alarm, I believe there is also a case for optimism. Italians may shrug their shoulders when scolded about their lack of civic spirit, but they open their arms wide to embrace the elderly and the vulnerable. Look at the ingenious pulley system that allows the arthritic nonagenarian to lower a basket so that her neighbour may fill it with groceries. In our village piazza, elderly men play cards outside their “club” (a grotty local bar) while keeping an eye on children on bicycles. Divorce may have split spouses, but grandparents and aunties are still living with the family.

And it’s not just the elderly who live cheek by jowl with their loved ones. We talk of the “boomerang” generation to describe university graduates who return to their parents’ home, but in Italy many of these youngsters never left in the first place: 67 per cent of Italians between 21 and 34 still live with their parents.

This tight-knit society, I wager, will survive coronavirus. And possibly teach us a few lessons about resilience in the process. Individuals who see themselves as integral members of a family, a neighbourhood, even just a loose association with shared interests, are more likely to survive even a pandemic. A government that speaks of its “levelling-up agenda” should take note. Crucial to our campaign against coronavirus might be a campaign to restore our sense of community.

Stoking connections between fit and vulnerable, young and old; and supporting local groups and charities that already do so is a first step. Today’s Budget could even extend financial relief to smaller charities whose fundraising events are threatened by the virus.

This will help Britons rekindle the one for all, all for one spirit that fuelled them in their greatest battles – incidentally, ones when they beat Italy.