Lessons from lockdown - six weeks and counting for Derry woman living in Italy

Speaking to the Journal from the Italian city of Bergamo in northern Italy, Fionnuala Ní Chraiftigh (28) from Culmore said that keeping positive and maintaining a structure to your day is vital.

And it now seems that the impact of strict controls on movement put in place in Italy back in February are helping ensure the number of people hospitalised or diagnosed is decreasing day on day.

Fionnuala said that there were still many cases, and that lockdown is expected to continue for at least another few weeks.

The Derry woman, who is a primary school teacher in the Lombardy region, advised local people here to keep adhering to the restrictions to help the collective effort to protect everyone so we can getthrough this sooner rather than later.

“We’re still in lockdown and of course there are times when you are fed up. The first few weeks were really tough. The advice from the government here has been don’t let your guard down, stay strong, it hasn’t gone away. I’ve tried to stick to my working day. I’m on call from 9am so I keep that routine during the week and then at the weekends I can take it easy.

“I have a garden here and I’ve been going out there and reading a book, so I can still go outside but I’m not going out and about. You were allowed out for exercise but some people took advantage and as a result it got taken away. It might be hard for some people not to abuse it in a way, but when it gets taken away you are confined to near your house or to go to the shop.

“For me now at this stage there are moments where I get fed up, but I have to see this as a positive.

“ As much as there is so much sadness and grief and it is terrible time for people here and for the world, you have to realise that you don’t often get the opportunity to get so much time, the opportunity to work from home or to enjoy your home and garden, clean out all the cupboards, take advantage to do all the things around the house you never got the chance to do, tick off your to do list.

“Finding peace and a balance is important. I know there are times when I get really anxious about it all but you have to find ways to bring yourself back - I was out in the garden today, saw some sticks and made an Easter display.”

As temperatures rise here in Derry this week, Fionnuala said it was vital people were not tempted to risk going out.

“The only way this changes is if more people observe and respect the restrictions. That’s the only way to bring it under control, and the only thing I or anyone can do to help that change is to minimise the chance of catching it or passing it on.

“ It does take a lot of self-control, sometimes people think, ‘I’ll just go a run to the beach’, but it’s not worth risking it.”

And while it is too early to say for definite, it looks as if Italy - thanks to the efforts of people like Fionnuala and the other residents of Bergamo who are putting the collective health of the nation first - could soon turn a corner, providing a glimmer of hope for all of us.

“The number of new cases has decreased. For the first time in Italy there is some relief in the hospitals, breathing space for the medics,” she said.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

Thank you