Recently I received an email from a Polish friend: How are you? We receive information about the growing number of coronavirus-related cases in northern Italy. So if you think you need to go with your family from Schio, and spend some time away from danger, let me know. I am happy to help you organize your stay in Poland. It’s safe here so far. I replied: Thanks, for the moment I am fine and I’m working.
This week I work for 4 companies in the province of Vicenza (in the Veneto region). For three of these I will carry out 12 hours of consultancy for export development projects. They are companies in the mechanical, mouldings and food sectors. For the fourth I will develop business and conduct other activities in the role of Temporary Export Manager. The latter – which produces furniture – will ship to Austria, Slovakia and Israel in the coming days.
Personally, I am fine and have just returned from a short holiday with my wife in Madrid. The selfie you see I took myself this morning in my office.
I believe that in recent days the media have exaggerated in describing the situation in our area. As the editor of the online magazine Internazionale Giovanni De Mauro writes in this week’s issue: Much of the journalistic coverage tends to describe the fear of public opinion rather than to inform what is happening from the point of view of the spread of the virus…Like other emotions, fear is contagious and can be transmitted quickly. Risking, among other things, to accelerate the proliferation of false information… The fact that we are all constantly connected only served to amplify the event.
The spread of coronavirus is certainly an exceptional situation that is causing a lot of inconvenience to my business too. On Tuesday, February 25th I was supposed to hold a workshop on my book Exporting in 7 Steps at the Mantua API – which was postponed. The meeting will be held on 8th of April.
So I think it would be wise to keep a cool head and avoid crowded places for a bit more, but life must go on.