It’s now almost two years since the world has been under the oppressive cloud of the covid pandemic. From its origin in China in December 2019 the virus spread worldwide with Italy’s first case in Rome on 31^st January 2020.  That country was particularly hard hit by the virus with the highest number of victims in Europe by Easter 2021. The images of rows of army trucks carrying out covid dead from hospitals in Bergamo, for example, remain harrowing. Italy’s situation today is somewhat improved; it ranks eighth in covid deaths world statistics with its 149,097 victims surpassed by the UK’s 158,363 deaths.

In Italy talking about one’s state of health with others is an all pervading conversational topic and appearing to take the place of the UK’s preoccupation with the weather. The question ‘how are you?’ will not merely elicit the typically brief Anglo-Saxon riposte of ‘not too bad’ but may involve one listening for some time to details of liver complaints, recent operations, allergies and so forth. It is, therefore, no surprise that Italy, shocked by the dreadful initial impact it received from the virus, sprang promptly into action and with its amazing national health system initiated a thorough first lock down. On 11 March 2020, Prime Minister Conte prohibited all commercial activity except for supermarkets and pharmacies and shortly afterwards, the Italian government closed all non-essential businesses and industries, and restricted movement of people.  

I was lucky that I had undergone an essential operation in Italy before the pandemic spread throughout the peninsula. However, I then found myself in the UK, unable to reach Italy before the summer of that year because of the travel restrictions.  

Medical science came to rescue with the development of covid vaccines and by the summer of 2021 I had received two doses of the Pfizer jab at Viareggio’s vaccination centre and became the proud possessor of a green passport which enabled me to use public transport, attend public events like concerts, shows and museums and get a cup of cappuccino at the bar without having to sit outside.

I managed to reach the UK in August 2021 where I found the situation regarding Covid 19 considerably laid back when compared with the draconian laws of the country I had flown from. For example, not everyone in London was wearing masks and there was no green passport system in operation. I was particularly shocked at the way passengers were crowding into the lifts at Bayswater tube station (which has no escalators) without any social distancing.

Upon my return to Italy, this time happily accompanied by my wife from whom I had been separated for almost a year, I found a country with fewer restrictions on travel and attending public events but with the strictest rules regarding the green pass which was mandatory for entry into most public places and events.

This January I received notification that my two jabs would soon require a booster. I visited the Tuscan vaccination site at https://prenotavaccino.sanita.toscana.it/#/home and booked an appointment at my nearest location which was the civil protection centre at Castelnuovo di Garfagnana. I could have gone sooner to Lucca San Luca hospital if I wanted but preferred to travel more locally making it also into a shopping and sightseeing excursion.

The Civil Protection centre is a modern, rather bare concrete cube placed near the town’s fire station in an area which has only recently started development. I was impressed both by the courtesy and the professionalism of the staff involved in the vaccination procedure there several of whom were volunteers.

After filling in a form I was seen by a doctor who asked me about any medical conditions I had suffered from. Then it was the turn of the jab followed by ten minutes in the lounge to ensure that no contrary effects arose.

I was told that I might experience headaches later but nothing like that happened to me. The rest of the day was spent swanning around shopping, in which I bought some new trekking shoes, and a return to our lovely little home (and cats) which was basking in the most glorious winter sunshine.

We are informed anti-covid regulations will be reviewed again on February 11th. Already this month the wearing of masks in urban locations will no longer be mandatory. Who knows how long restrictions will still apply?  One thing is certain, however; we have been lucky but it will be rather difficult to forget these vexing two years of pandemic scare, mask-wearing, social distancing, green passes and, sadly for several of us, friends and acquaintances lost to the ravages of the ghastly virus.

(Crocuses in our chestnut wood – Presages of Spring!)