The Second Wave

Il Corriere della Sera writes that the second wave of coronavirus has influenced the way Italians see the virus and their government’s response to it. According to the article, people have become very skeptical, underestimating its aggressive and contagious nature. By now, everybody has developed their own opinion and theory on the pandemic, and perceptions seem to have mutated more than the virus itself, the article reports. As the Italian government unveils new restrictions and measures to contain the infection rate, citizens have become more and more exasperated and wary of how the pandemic has been dealt with. The new rules imposed by the government, not far off from those implemented in spring, reflect the lack of a long-term strategy to effectively tackle coronavirus. Increasingly egregious forms of coronavirus denial are just one consequence of this climate of anxiety and uncertainty.

Le Figaro reports that France’s decision to impose a curfew in Paris and eight main cities from 9pm to 6pm for four weeks came as a blow to the cultural industry. Owners of cinemas and theatres have strongly condemned this decision, describing it a scandal and injustice. The cultural sector has already been hit very hard by the coronavirus outbreak during the year. As theatres and cinemas had started to recover and weather the effects of the economic slowdown, this curfew will further complicate the situation. After painstakingly respecting the health protocol and measures, the employers of this sector are prepared to take the government to task. 

Taz remarks that, when coronavirus cases rise, authorities tend to publicly reprimand young people for flouting rules and curfews. At the core of the article lies a recent international study led by the Humboldt University of Berlin, which explores the generational divides in the context of the pandemic. Referring to the data of this study, taz points out how such tendencies allow an unnecessary and inaccurate depiction of young people, who can not be seen as the main culprits in the rising numbers of cases. In fact, from the 12,000 people that were polled, age seems to make little difference when it comes to the question of whether individuals will respect safety measures. Interestingly, when asked how much of their annual income they would be willing to sacrifice if this would stop the pandemic, younger people indicated a significantly higher proportion than older people.

The Irish Times writes how Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has been trying to explain the new nationwide ban on home visits, as one of the latest social restrictions announced by the Irish government to curb rising case numbers. In a recent interview, Varadkar pointed out how people are more likely to neglect safety measures and get too close in domestic settings, for instance during family dinners, drinks at home with friends or children’s play-dates. At the same time, he is worried that citizens are starting to feel increasingly resentful about the new restrictions and rules, as the novelty of the virus has worn off and people are experiencing a restrictions fatigue and are likely to take more unnecessary risks. Rules in Ireland are now among the strictest in Europe, and Varadkar says he hopes that the new measures can help curb the disease.