Italy has put all its 60 million people under lockdown. Here's what it looks like on the ground.

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Italy has put all its 60 million people under lockdown. Here's what it looks like on the ground.
A traveler wears a mask as she fills out a form at a checkpoint set up by border police inside Rome's Termini train station, Tuesday, March 10, 2020. In Italy the government extended a coronavirus containment order previously limited to the country's north to the rest of the country beginning Tuesday, with soldiers and police enforcing bans. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Associated Press

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A traveler fills out a form at a check point set up by border police inside Rome's Termini train station on Tuesday.

  • Italian Prime Minister Guiseppe Conte placed the entire country under lockdown from Tuesday in an attempt to fight the coronavirus.
  • All 60 million people in the country have been urged to remain indoors as mass gatherings, sports events, and cultural events have been canceled.
  • Business Insider spoke to two Italians - one from Rome and another from Lombardy region - to see what it's like on the ground. They said people were keeping their distance in public and "panicking" less, but that hospitals are overwhelmed.
  • Scroll down to see their first-hand accounts and photos of what it's like there.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Italy entered its first day of a nationwide lockdown on Tuesday after a dramatic uptick in coronavirus cases and deaths made the country the worst affected outside China.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced the wide range of new restrictions on Monday night as the number of cases surpassed 9,100, and 463 people died.

He said that he was enforcing the measures to protect the most vulnerable people in the country, like the elderly. Italy has one of the world's oldest populations.

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All 60 million people living in the country have been told to remain indoors and limit social contact. Travel has also been severely restricted.

Pictures and first-hand accounts from Italians show what life is like under the new dramatic measures.

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In an unprecedented move, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on Monday that the entire country would be placed under lockdown due to coronavirus fears.

In an unprecedented move, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on Monday that the entire country would be placed under lockdown due to coronavirus fears.

"I am going to sign a decree that can be summarised as follows: I stay at home," Conte told the country on Monday. "The whole of Italy will become a protected zone."

The movement of Italy's 60 million-strong population will be severely limited from Tuesday. People can now travel only for emergencies or urgent health situations, both within and out of the country.

The movement of Italy's 60 million-strong population will be severely limited from Tuesday. People can now travel only for emergencies or urgent health situations, both within and out of the country.

People now need get police permission to travel, which entails explaining to authorities why they need to leave.

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Checkpoints on motorways, toll booths, train stations, and airports are also expected to be introduced.

Checkpoints on motorways, toll booths, train stations, and airports are also expected to be introduced.

Source: The Guardian

Mass gatherings and all sporting events, including the Serie A league, have been canceled.

Mass gatherings and all sporting events, including the Serie A league, have been canceled.

Source: The Guardian

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All museums and cultural centers have also shut. Italians have also been asked to stay at home and limit social contact as much as possible.

All museums and cultural centers have also shut. Italians have also been asked to stay at home and limit social contact as much as possible.

Source: BBC

While restaurants and bars are still running, they are only allowed to open between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

While restaurants and bars are still running, they are only allowed to open between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Source: The Guardian

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Those businesses also have to guarantee that customers are at least one meter, or 3.2 feet, apart.

Those businesses also have to guarantee that customers are at least one meter, or 3.2 feet, apart.

Source: Sky News

Giorgia, a 19-year-old from Rome, told Business Insider said Italians are sticking to this rule rigorously. This photo from her shows a line forming outside a local pharmacy, with people keeping a considerable distance between each other.

Giorgia, a 19-year-old from Rome, told Business Insider said Italians are sticking to this rule rigorously. This photo from her shows a line forming outside a local pharmacy, with people keeping a considerable distance between each other.
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Popular public spaces have also emptied out. This picture was taken near Villa Borghese in Rome on Tuesday, which is an area usually packed with tourists.

Popular public spaces have also emptied out. This picture was taken near Villa Borghese in Rome on Tuesday, which is an area usually packed with tourists.

Rome's famous Spanish Steps — usually packed with tourists — is also eerily quiet.

Rome's famous Spanish Steps — usually packed with tourists — is also eerily quiet.
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The main train station in Reggio Emilia, northern Italy, is usually filled with people traveling to other parts of the country. But on Monday night, it was also looking deserted.

The main train station in Reggio Emilia, northern Italy, is usually filled with people traveling to other parts of the country. But on Monday night, it was also looking deserted.

Meanwhile, Italians have been adjusting to their new way of life.

Meanwhile, Italians have been adjusting to their new way of life.
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Marta, a 27-year-old from Lombardy region, told Business Insider people had been "panicking" during the early stages of the outbreak, but are now calmer since they know supermarkets will still be open and selling food.

Marta, a 27-year-old from Lombardy region, told Business Insider people had been "panicking" during the early stages of the outbreak, but are now calmer since they know supermarkets will still be open and selling food.

"People were panicking at the beginning, but now that they know the supermarkets are still open and they can still get food, it's gotten a bit better," Marta, who is from Lombardy's Cremona province, told Business Insider.

"Now that we know what the situation is, we are just trying to get used to it, but it's still weird."

Lombardy is the worst-hit region in Italy and Europe.

Marta also worries about the country's "struggling" healthcare system. Her mother, a nurse at a local hospital, said there are limited beds in intensive care and that it's been difficult to balance the work between coronavirus and other patients.

Marta also worries about the country's "struggling" healthcare system. Her mother, a nurse at a local hospital, said there are limited beds in intensive care and that it's been difficult to balance the work between coronavirus and other patients.

Conte has also told healthcare workers to cancel their holidays so they can help fight the outbreak.

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Prisons around the country have also been hit hard by the country's coronavirus measures. Inmates across several jails rioted after the country banned or limited family visits, resulting in at least six deaths.

Prisons around the country have also been hit hard by the country's coronavirus measures. Inmates across several jails rioted after the country banned or limited family visits, resulting in at least six deaths.

Unrest began at jails in Modena, Pavia, Rome, and Foggia, ultimately spreading to a total of 27 prisons, Business Insider's Rhea Mahbubani reported.

At least 50 inmates eventually escaped, while others set fires and took guards hostage.

Three inmates died inside a jail in Modena, the country's north, while three others died after being transferred away from the prison, Al Jazeera reported, citing Francesco Basentini, head of Italy's prison administration.

The Italian government said its coronavirus restrictions would last until April 3 — though if the country doesn't turn a corner with the disease by then, the date could well be pushed back.

The Italian government said its coronavirus restrictions would last until April 3 — though if the country doesn't turn a corner with the disease by then, the date could well be pushed back.
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Next StoryA shortage of medical supplies and hospital beds in Italy is forcing doctors to choose which coronavirus patients to save - and they're choosing the young.