Australian radio personality Kate Langbroek has been documenting the stark reality of life in Italy amid the coronavirus crisis.
And on Saturday, via satellite from ‘lockdown’ within her Bolgna apartment, she gave further updates on Nine’s program, Weekend Today.
The mother-of-four, 54, revealed police were patrolling the city, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, to conduct bag checks on those who were out during the region’s ‘total lockdown’.
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‘You can get stopped by the police’: Radio personality Kate Langbroek reveals Italian authorities conduct ‘bag checks’ on Bologna residents seen out during ‘total lockdown’ amid the coronavirus crisis in the country
Kate said that everything in the city, except for essential services, such as supermarkets, post offices, banks and tobacconists, have been closed.
‘You’re only allowed to go out to go shopping for groceries and you can get stopped by the police who will check in your bag to see that that’s what you’re doing outside.
Kate explained that life in the once lively city has now become ‘so eerily quiet’.
‘The shops that you normally go to are empty, to the point where you wonder how they’re staying in business and where other people are getting their food from.’
Empty: The mother-of-four told Weekend Today on Saturday that everything in the city is closed – except for essential services (a few people walking through Piazza Maggiore)
She also recalled a recent trip to their local mixed deli shop, where the five employees working were all wearing masks.
‘For the first time ever, we had to stand outside. You weren’t allowed to enter the shop. You could only enter one at a time, but there was only one other person there besides us.
‘You go to the butcher, there is no-one there… It is just eerily, ominously, strangely quiet,’ Kate said.
Restricted outings: Kate explained that the only time people are allowed to go out is to go grocery shopping, but she added ‘you can get stopped by the police who will check in your bag to see that that’s what you’re doing outside’ (Kate’s sons Artie and Jan)
Life under lockdown: Kate has shared several confronting photos of abandoned streets and empty churches including an image of the Basilica di San Petronio church (pictured) looking completely deserted
On Instagram, Kate has shared confronting photos of abandoned streets and empty churches, as well as describing some of the restrictions being enforced in public spaces.
On Thursday, she posted a photo of the Basilica di San Petronio church looking completely deserted in the Maggiore Piazza.
She also uploaded a photo of her husband, Peter Allen Lewis, at their friend’s restaurant ahead of its closure due to an enforced lockdown. The plates were spread out on the table to ensure diners weren’t sitting too close together.
‘We sat a metre apart from each other in his empty restaurant, as per lockdown decree. Life is good. Challenging – but good.’
Back on home soil: As of Saturday morning, there were 204 reported cases of coronavirus, and a death toll at three
Last meal out for a while: Kate also uploaded a photo of her husband, Peter Allen Lewis, at their friend’s restaurant ahead of its closure due to an enforced lockdown. The plates were spread out on the table to ensure diners weren’t sitting too close together
Schools in Italy are also shut down, so Kate has been home schooling her four children for more than a week.
On Today Extra, she said they have been advised to continue homeschooling until April 3.
Kate and her family are one of millions of Italian residents staying at home as parts of the country are placed under ‘red zone’ quarantine restrictions.
She and her husband, Peter Allen Lewis, relocated to Italy with their four children, Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jan, in January 2019 for what was supposed to be a ‘gap year.’ They have since extended their stay for another 12 months.
Expats: Kate and her husband, Peter Allen Lewis, relocated to Italy with their four children, Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jan, in January 2019 for what was supposed to be a ‘gap year.’ They have since extended their stay for another 12 months