Economics

Sun-Starved, Locked Down Italians Ask If Summer Can Be Saved

Artist’s impression of plexiglass panels creating protective pods on a beach.Source: Nuova Neon Group Due Srl
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

When Italians look for light at the end of the tunnel in the sixth week of their nationwide lockdown, a lot of them see the same thing: sunshine, endless beaches and the warm Mediterranean sea.

But with summer approaching fast and no indication that the deadly coronavirus is anywhere near being eradicated, some are starting to ask whether a return to the thousands of beaches dotting the country’s 8,000 kilometers (4,971 miles) of coastline is even possible.