COVID-19 Update - Conte - March-, 21th 2020

These are strict measures, I am aware of it, staying at home, giving up deep-rooted habits, it is not easy at all but we have no alternative, at this time we must resist because only in this way will we be able to protect ourselves and protect the people we love. Our sacrifice to stay at home is, however, minimal, compared to the sacrifice that other citizens are making: in hospitals, in the crucial places for the life of the country there are those who do not give up, who risk much more. I am thinking in particular about doctors, nurses, but I am also thinking about the police, the Armed Forces, the men and women of the Civil Protection, the supermarket clerks, pharmacists, hauliers, public service workers, even the information services, women and men who are not simply working but every day perform an act of great responsibility towards the whole nation. They perform an act of love towards the whole of Italy.

Today we have decided to take another step: the decision taken by the Government is to close, throughout the country, any production activity that is not strictly necessary, crucial, indispensable to guarantee us essential goods and services. We have been working all afternoon with the trade unions, with trade associations, to draw up a detailed list of the production chains of the activities of the public utilities, that are most necessary for the functioning of the State in this emergency phase. All supermarkets, all grocery stores will continue to remain open. So, be careful, we have not provided any restrictions on the opening days of supermarkets. I urge everyone to remain calm, there is no reason to rush for shopping, there is no reason to create queues that at this time are not justified at all. Pharmacies, para pharmacies, banking, postal, insurance and financial services will continue to be insured. We will ensure all essential public services, such as transport. Of course, we will also ensure all the activities connected, ancillary, functional to those allowed, to the essential ones. Apart from the activities considered essential, we will allow only smart working and production activities that are still considered relevant to domestic production.

We are slowing down the country's production engine, but we are not stopping it. It is not an easy decision, but it is a decision that allows us, it prepares us to face the most acute phase of contagion. It is a decision that is necessary, today in particular, in order to contain the spread of the epidemic as much as possible. The health emergency – but we had predicted it – is turning into a full economic emergency, but to all of you I say: "The State is here. The State is here." The Government will take action with extraordinary measures that will allow us to raise our heads and start again as soon as possible.

Our community must get together like never before, as a chain to protect the most important good: life. If even one ring were to give way, this protection barrier would fail, exposing us to greater dangers, for everyone. Those renunciations that today seem like a step backwards, tomorrow will allow us to get a running start and return soon to our factories, our offices, our squares, in the arms of our relatives and friends. We are giving up the habits we love most, we do it because we love Italy, but we do not give up courage and hope in the future. United, we're going to make it.