Italy put on country-wide lockdown

This is becoming surreal.

That’s going to affect lots of people. Wonder how many are going to be afraid of eating pizza now?

And the Rick Steves folks need to update their website - last update was 4 days ago and that’s way too long in the face of this ever-expanding/changing crisis.

Starting today? So foreigners are stuck? I know it would be an incredible imposition, but I can’t think of a better place to be stuck in.

People are allowed to return to their homes/ places of residence

Said it started Monday (Italy Monday) and will extend thru April 3.

I am GUESSING visitors would be allowed to fly home (but just a guess on my part).

I would suggest Googling to get more info as details flow...........

There will be a baby boom in 9 months, which Italy sorely needs (there will be nothing else to do :-)

This addresses some of the questions. Sounds like, yep, tourists (temporary) can leave, but arrivals will have to "justify" themselves.
Guessing tours will be canceled and guessing airlines will be in touch with booked passengers to advise........but those are clearly just guesses on my part.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51810673

Italians want to get rid of foreigners? Tell that to the hotel and restaurant industries.

I feel for the Italian people. Their health care system is overwhelmed and certainly don’t need foreign tourists making things worse.

Well, I didn’t think of that.

For those who like the charts/bell curves, etc., this article does a good job of explaining some of what Italy is facing on the medical front. While Italy depends a great deal on tourism (and who among us has not loved visiting...in my case three times), but during a time that health care and supplies may be pushed to the gills, they really do not need a bunch of tourists showing up wondering when typical tourists sites will be opening, much less the potential of the tourists becoming ill.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/this-one-chart-shows-why-minimizing-coronavirus-impact-is-a-race-against-time/

Gosh, it was amazing to see everyone clearing out the bins of toilet paper at Costco here in Nashville, as individuals who are advance-prep in nature made sure they had a good 2-3 week supply. Toilet paper may be the least of worries in Italy. Oh how I hope peace and calm may return to their lives.

Valley of the temples, Agrigento is closed until April 3 according to its website, so it’s really country-wide.

It's like a movie script.

Good one, Alice.

Just an update that most major airlines have announced that they are canceling service to and from Italy.