Post-reopening update: it’s been three weeks since the city of Lucca reopened to business. Slowly, the shops, restaurants, and other businesses are coming back to life, but business is remarkably slow. Bike rentals are open, but there are no tourists to rent bikes. Restaurants have reopened, but locals are fearful and are tending to stay home. But people are starting to get out more, and things are very slowly easing back to normal.

Compliance with the local social distancing and mask ordinances is very high. Almost everyone is wearing a mask here – a reassuring sight. Mask wearing is more than just hygienic – it’s a way of signaling to those around you that you take the pandemic seriously and are willing to take the needed extra steps to slow community transmission.

As a result, in the last three weeks, the local COVID-19 infection rate has stayed almost entirely flat. There has been no increase in the local case rate, which remains near-zero new cases daily. Because the curve here has been almost entirely flattened, we feel confident going out in public and have even visited a restaurant or two. Local restaurants and businesses are extremely compliant with the distancing rules, plus, it’s very common to dine outdoors, which reduces the chance of transmission.

Police remain vigilant. Whereas normally you rarely see police in Lucca, since the beginning of the lockdown the police have been omnipresent. At all levels of government there has been consistent messaging and reinforcement of the rules of quarantine and reopening. I find it very reassuring that there has been near universal good behavior on the part of just about everyone. Knowing that my fellows are diligent in doing their part for everyone’s safety provides a level of comfort and security during these uncertain times.