FEDESPEDI, the National Freight Forwarding Association in Italy, have shared an update on the Coronavirus situation within their territory.

CLECAT have made this update available to National Members and we share the text of that update with IIFA Members via the below:

Update from FEDESPEDI begins now:

Our Government issued on Feb. 23rd last first extraordinary measures, basically through a Law Decree: it has to be noted that these adopted measures are conceived only for the areas contaminated (so called: red zones) and in order to prevent the risk of spreading the virus around.

The Decree sets a range of measures that the affected municipalities are obliged to adopt, but additional ones might follow, should they deem it necessary.

Here are the municipalities:

  • Lombardia region: Bertonico, Casapusterlengo, Castelgerundo, Castigione d’Adda, Codogno, Fombio, Maleo, San Fiorano, Somaglia, Terranova dei Passerini;
  • Veneto region: Vò.

Here are the main measures, in force for 14 days starting from Feb. 23rd, only in the affected areas, as already mentioned:

  • Prohibition of access and departure (no one can get in or out of these towns);
  • Suspension of working activities for companies, excluding those which provide essential services and of public utility and those that can be carried out also working from home;
  • Suspension or limitation of working activities, except for smart working; 
  • Limitation of access or suspension of freight and passenger transport services by land, air, train and maritime modes;
  • Closure or limitation of public offices and commercial activities; 
  • Implementation of quarantine measures.

On Feb. 25th last, our government issued a second decree, containing further measures such as prohibiting events and closing schools until March 1st next. Furthermore, they allow smart working until March 15th, 2020. You need to consider that these further measures are only meant to avoid any “out of control” spreading of the virus.

In a nutshell: only a few areas of Italy are concerned, while the rest of the country is “business as usual”. WHO recommendations (practicing general hygiene measures, including regular hand washing with soap and potable water, avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with hands and the like) are the only simple rules that anyone has to follow: no prohibition for people or goods are in place in Italy, except for the red zones.

Figures, to support the above: the disease affected 0,1% of Italian municipalities. People under quarantine represent 0,089% of the population and the red areas (currently put in isolation) are 0,01% of our country. End of Update from FEDESPEDI