It was March 11, 2020 and the World Health Organization declared the Covid-19 epidemic a global pandemic. 3 years have passed since that day and many things have changed.

2020 is not just a bad memory, the tragic year of the pandemic. 2020 is a watershed, between a before and an after. Infections, collapsing hospitals, despair and death are images that have left an indelible mark on each of us. The spread of the virus has led to unprecedented changes around the world, governments have tried to curb the spread of the virus, in every way.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference that the number of cases outside China has increased 13-fold and the number of affected countries has tripled, there are more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries and 4,291 people have lost their lives.

In the days and weeks to come, we expect the number of cases, the number of deaths and the number of countries affected to increase even more. WHO has assessed this outbreak 24 hours a day and we are deeply concerned by both the alarming levels of spread and severity, as well as the alarming levels of inaction. We have therefore assessed that Covid-24 can be characterized as a pandemic. Pandemic is not a word to be used lightly or carelessly."

On March 11, 2020, our country had entered lockdown, only 2 days ago. The Government established restrictions that were previously unthinkable: stop travel, schools closed, block all sporting events. You can leave the house only with a self-certification, for work, health or proven necessity. Italy chooses the line of prudence and rigour.

"We are grateful for the measures taken in Iran, Italy and the Republic of Korea to slow down the virus and control their epidemics," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the press conference.

Today the situation has clearly changed, vaccines, therapies, preventive measures and mutations of the virus into weaker variants have stifled the most aggressive threat but we still live with the emergency. Covid is still unpredictable warns the WHO, the virus can harm us.

"Everyone agrees that, one of the biggest lessons we need to learn is that we weren't ready. The world was not ready. At the beginning of the pandemic we saw that some countries had to take extreme measures, such as social lockdown, to buy time. In short, the great lesson is that we must invest in health, we must invest in health systems, in the health workforce and in research and development", said WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic.