While the United States slowly starts to embrace social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic, Italy has been under lockdown since March 13. Despite these measures, reports of dire conditions in the country continue to flood social media. Italy’s growing number of ill and deceased people is terrifying, as are the stories and videos of the impossibly difficult conditions health care professionals are working in. This pandemic is incredibly serious, whether the Trump administration wants to acknowledge it or not. That said, the news can seem like a slippery slope when it comes to depressing, overwhelming information; there’s no harm in embracing a little humor to get by.
As seen in a series of videos now going viral on Twitter, Italian politicians are asking their constituents to stay home, and they’re using blunt language—as well as some pretty original humor—to make their points.
"I said to him, hey, this is not a film and you're not Will Smith in 'I Am Legend.’ Therefore, get home,” Mayor of Reggio Calabria, Giuseppe Falcomatà, said as reported by CNN in reference to someone who wouldn’t stop walking his dog. The Mayor of Bari, Antonio Decaro, similarly mentioned people acting like they were stars in a dystopian storyline, telling people, "Go home, this is not a film on TV, this is a national emergency!”
The videos are, unsurprisingly, in Italian, so we’re going off of the English translations offered in these clips. If you happen to know Italian, please comment!
Some people shared screenshots of particularly funny highlights:
And offered their own funny reactions to the clips:
If you would prefer a YouTube version, this one is great:
There’s plenty of seriousness too. Italy’s death toll is over 6,000 at the time of writing, with over 700 in just one day. With a lack of tests, medical supplies, looming expenses amid job losses, and inconsistencies from our government, facing the pandemic here in the United States can feel incredibly difficult. One thing we can do, however, is practice social distancing to the best of our ability. Oh—and wash our hands!
Have you found any funny or heartwarming videos on social media to lighten the news cycle? Please share them below!