As the affect of the Coronavirus has extended its spread throughout China, Italy, the United States, and other impacted countries, we had the incredible opportunity to connect with a student, Malvina, from Italy. Malvina’s incredible sense of hope and optimism for the future of Italy is inspiring—she lives by the motto “ce la faremo,” which translates to “we’ll get through this.”
To that point, Malvina started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the Green Cross in Milan, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to first aid and health services for Italian citizens. Due to the health system in Italy, ambulances (similar to EMTs) are publicly funded solely from donations and public funding, making it incredible difficult to sustain because first responders are all volunteers. Donating to the Green Cross will allocate funds to Italian ambulances during this extremely difficult time. To donate, please click here.
1. How has the coronavirus affected your life? how has it affected the lives of your family, friends, and country?
My life before the virus was that of any 24 year old Italian student. An active and curious life, like the ones of most students all over the world.
We are now all in quarantine, without the possibility of leaving home except for real needs (to do the groceries or go to the pharmacy). So, as far as I'm concerned, I can’t see my boyfriend, my friends and my family, except my parents and my sister whom I live with. There are so many other people all over Italy who, being quarantined and living alone, are in complete isolation without having had human interactions for more than 10 days.
But this is a minor sacrifice that has been made willingly, if you think about the risk we are all exposed in Italy and all over the world. Furthermore, our country has an elderly population (life expectancy is roughly around 83 years old) and the age bracket of the elderly is, unfortunately, the most affected by the virus.
That is why, as far as coronavirus' deaths are concerned, we have already almost reached the number of total deaths that China has had because of the virus.
My country has, fortunately, a good Health System, which, however, is slowly collapsing, due to the enormous increase of the number of cases that require intensive care.
Some of the main problems we have to face are, in fact, the few beds left in intensive care, the shortage of lung ventilators and first-needed genres (like masks and hand sanitizing gel) and we are also facing a lack of doctors, paramedics and volunteers because of the virus.
2. How are you staying calm and sane during your quarantine?
I’m concerned, that’s for sure. How do I stay calm? I study, I do online courses, I read, I spend quality time with my family, I keep up to date with the news and I try to help my country as I can by establishing the fund raising that I talked you about.
The positive aspect of this all is that you get to have the time to do things you left behind.
What really is missing is social, human contact with people I haven’t seen and can't see for a while and it’s really in these circumstances that you realize how important this is. But, as I have already said, it is a minor sacrifice that must be made for the common good.
3. Is there a sense of panic in the country? is there enough food, drinks, medical supplies?
No, no sense of panic. We are worried, that’s for sure, as much as anyone would be in this same situation. But we are very united, selfless and cheerful people, here in Italy. For example, there have been people who started singing typical Italian songs or playing music on their balconies to cheer all the neighborhood up. And many others followed their example. Our motto here is “ce la faremo” which means “we’ll get through this”.
As far as food and drinks are concerned, there are more than enough.
Some medical supplies, though, are not. We have a big lack of surgical or ffp2/ffp3 masks and, in the past weeks, many were sold in pharmacies at a price up to 60 euros, not because the pharmacies themselves were speculating on these items, but because the demand has increased exponentially, we have little production in Italy and we have to order them from abroad.
4. What do you want people in the united states to know in general and about the situation in Italy?
The main thing I want the US to know is that we are facing a very difficult situation. We are running out of beds and lung ventilators in intensive care; we don’t have enough doctors and volunteers; we are also running out of masks and sanitizing hand gel. Without mentioning what is consequently happening to our economy.
If I may give you a piece of advice, STAY HOME. I know that now it may seem like an overreaction but, trust me, it’s not. We underestimated the problem at it’s first stages and here we are: in three weeks, we’ve had more than 35.000 cases and almost 3000 deaths due to having underestimated the problem in it's early stages.
I’m honestly quite concerned about the US right now, because in you (and in other European countries) I see my three weeks' ago way of considering the coronavirus issue. I personally think you could make use of the restrictions we have put in place here in Italy so to keep containing the spreading of the virus. So stay safe, at home at least for a while.
5. What is the Green Cross in Italy and what do they do?
The Green Cross M. P. S. ( Milanese public service) is a voluntary association dedicated to first aid and other health services for citizens.
It was formed in 1899, and is the oldest association of public service in Milan.
The Green Cross M. P. S. can count on the support of 400 volunteers who serve free service 365 nights per year and on holidays. All volunteers are certified by the “Emergency Medical service and medical emergency” operating center.
I would like to make you understand the difference between our ambulances and first aid service, compared to the American one. In Italy, ambulances are based on non-profit organizations only, such as the Green Cross, which, as such, cannot generate profit from their business and therefore rely on donations and public funds.
Moreover, unlike the US, the professional figure on ambulances is not a paramedic but normal people who have attended a 120-hour first aid course.
One very important thing to stress is that these responders (except for day shifts, managed by salaried employees) are all volunteers, which means that night shifts and holidays are entirely run by not paid people.
6. What do you think is the most important thing Italy needs right now?
As said, Italy needs beds and lung ventilators in intensive care, more doctors and volunteers, masks and sanitizing hand gel. To do so, we need funds, which are being and have been raised on a various number of campaigns, on GoFundMe as well. And we need to thank all over the world’s generosity.
Furthermore, when all this will be over, Italy and it’s economy will need you to come and visit and enjoy our food, beauty and culture.
7. Why do you think we should start raising money for the Green Cross, as opposed to the hospital?
The reason is very simple: as already mentioned, various campaigns to raise funds have been already launched in favour of the hospitals (for example the one launched by Chiara Ferragni and her husband).
Unfortunately, however, little importance is given to the first responders in ambulance and to the non-profit organizations from which they come; this happens on one hand because many devote their attention to hospitals, doctors and nurses, and, on the other, because ambulances and first responders have less media resonance.
But, as I think it is useless to emphasis, the ambulance responders are equally important and, unfortunately, they have, in proportion, less funds to tap into.
Also, in this particular period, they are spending much more money than they are used to, to buy self protection gear, masks and hand sanitizing gel.
Furthermore and not less important, the Green Cross in based in Milan, Lombardy where we unfortunately have the majority of the coronavirus cases in Italy. These are the main reasons why I ask you to give me a hand to raise money for the Green Cross, because they are really in need
8. How are you staying positive and hopeful for the future?
It may seem trivial but I believe in my country. I believe in Italian people, in their strength and in solidarity from all over the world (which, by the way, has already been shown and we are very grateful for that).
