A little over a month ago, Italy was seen as a role model in Europe — a country that had learned its lesson from the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Once the epicenter of Europe’s outbreak, Italy managed to bring its infection rate down to one of the lowest in the European Union. Then in October, cases there started to soar. The prime minister has introduced regional lockdowns across Italy, sparking protests in Milan, Naples, Rome and elsewhere. So how did a country that seemed to have got it right, suddenly go so wrong? The World’s Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.
The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. If you’ve been thinking about making a donation, this is the best time to do it. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. All donations between now and June 30 will be matched 2:1. Will you help keep our newsroom on strong footing by giving to The World?