di ANGELA QUATRARO – Many may say that here everything is fine, but it is hard to believe how Australia is reacting to this Covid-19 pandemic. This is scaring everyone around the world, letting people live a surreal reality. Alas, this can be defined as a war without arms that all of us are facing up everyday, but not everyone had understood it. I am currently living in Sydney while in my beloved country, Italy, there is a dire situation that is terribly hurting us. As well as in all of Europe and the rest of the world.

The cases of Coronavirus are growing exponentially everyday in Australia. I feel the same situation that my family was describing to me one month ago regarding my country. Here, today, we have many more than the Italian cases back then. Personally I believe that the Government is not acting in the right way. Up until the 22nd of march all shops, bars and restaurants were still open and events were permitted indoors for 100 people and outdoors for 500 people, which was irresponsible. Considering how this virus can be spread, businesses have been thinking about money and running as much as they could, schools were still open and beaches were full of people on sunny days, while the The Prime Minister was still thinking about what to do. The decision at the end is not clear stating that all non-essential services are closed, but strangely hair and beauty salons are still open, as weel as retail shops.

Dear Prime Minister, I’m sure you have a great economic plan to follow, but I am sorry this is not the time to only think about money, but to preserve people’s lives.If you have to talk about millions of dollars, as you’re doing everyday during your speeches, please make sure you talk about money to be addressed to hospitals, (which according to the latest news, will run out of equipment next week), to all patients that are already unwell, to all health workers, to all people that will struggle to survive, to all 88,000 employees that suddenly have lost their job in hospitality, all the ones in other sectors that unfortunately will not be able to work from home, to all international students, like me, that must pay visa and school even without an income, and without attending classes physically, to all people that will need help economically and psychologically speaking. I have been thinking all this time that this is one of the most beautiful countries to live, I love this country, it’s my second home, but now I’m disappointed. Where is the fair Australia? Where are the strict laws to follow in hard times like this? Where is the SAFETY we deserve? All of us need your help in this moment, please.

This virus is killing people, and I think you should learn from other countries and stop waiting until everything becomes worse. China taught us that being extremely strict and helping each other can solve the situation.Take this situation seriously. Please. Without panic, but with reaction. We need a lockdown now. A real one. We need to be home. We need to put masks and gloves on, almost everyone is still around without them .We need to stop this damned virus spreading. We are humans, we are not dollars. So I would like to invite you to think with your heart. There is no time, like the present, to be selfless. What you do not do for all of us today, next generations will not do for people you care about in the future.

My brother and I have decided to put ourselves in self-quarantine from last weekand because it’s the best thing to do in this moment, but I think that everyone should do the same. I know we need money to pay the expensive rent, bills and food, all of us need them. But now we need to put on a balance our health against the amount of money. Which one would you choose?A great economic plan could solve an economic crisis, but nothing could give life back to people.

Please take the same decision. Let’s stay home. For people that have family here it will be somehow beautiful. Many of us wish to be home, but we can not. All flights are cancelled. I’m aware that airports and airplanes are not safe at all right now but anyway the Consulate is not giving any proper answer to the ones that need to find a solution to come back home, because in this moment, being far away from family and friends makes everything harder for everyone. Don’t take everything for granted. Please, inform yourself, be aware, be responsible, BE SAFE! I know that stopping our daily lives will be very hard but if this will help to decrease the number of cases, we must do so! We need to open our eyes and realize what’s going on. 

My amazing Italy, and all other touched beautiful countries are fighting and suffering everyday to stop this nightmare and from the other side of the world my thoughts fly to you all. Don’t give up, we will make it. I need to believe that after this rain there will be a rainbow, after this storm there will be calm. I always think of you all. My heart and my mind is with all of you. 

To everyone closed and far, to all people I know and I love. I am worried about all of you as well as I am for everyone. We need to be home. We don’t have to be in contact with others to preserve them and ourselves. We need to be strong to accept what is happening, even if it seems unreal. We need to have the tenacity to face up to all of this. We need to prepare ourselves to stay safe at home. We need to think as a whole. If something is not effecting us now, this does not mean that it will never happen. We all are under the same sky. It’s time to be strong and stay safe.

Let’s do it together. Let’s fight for what really matters. Let’s believe in love as the most powerful weapon. Let’s appreciate the little things. Let’s help and support each other. Let’s be grateful for this life. Let’s be kind. Let’s be separated to be closer later. Let’s be patient. Let’s try to push the fear away, even if it is not easy. Let’s hope for the best. Let’s think that everything is going to be all right, as our Italian slogan says in these days to encourage and give strength “Andrà tutto bene!”. We need to believe it. The sun will rise again for everyone, but we need to wait for this to happen AT HOME. 

We need to believe all of this TOGETHER! I am with all of you. Please take care and be safe!