Prognosis

Italy Virus Cases Pass 1 Million With Second Lockdowns Under Way

  • Citizens resist new restrictions, citing their economic impact
  • Business owners warn that many small companies won’t survive
Quiet streets in the Navigli neighborhood of Milan.Photographer: Francesca Volpi/Bloomberg
Lock
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Italy led the way in fighting the early wave of Europe’s pandemic back in March, imposing a strict three-month lockdown that halted the contagion but almost crippled its economy.

Now, with cases topping 1 million, a second round of shutdowns has made Italians anxious about the economic impact and weary of the return to restrictions on daily life. The government’s wavering response hasn’t helped.