Coronavirus: the Rectors of the Universities of Lombardy launch a common plea
A letter in which the 14 Rectors call for a joint effort to tackle and overcome this serious epidemic.
Below is the appeal launched on March 9 by the Rectors of the Universities of Lombardy regarding the Coronavirus emergency.
"Never before has there been such a need to demonstrate that the whole country is well aware of the seriousness of the COVID-19 infection and relies on the recommendations of experts.
As Rectors of the Universities of Lombardy we feel deeply touched by what is happening and we have promptly responded to the requests of the national and regional authorities by suspending the classroom front activities and implementing, with great technical and personnel commitment, the remote lessons. This allows and will allow our students to continue the teaching programme safely, in order to guarantee them a regular course of study.
Our Universities, usually a place of aggregation and intense scientific and cultural exchanges, are today sadly empty, but we want it to be a testimony of how social containment is the most effective way to prevent the spreading of the virus.
However, the country cannot hold out for long if each citizen does not do his or her part according to the most important principle, which is that of social containment, remaining as much as possible at home and reducing external activities as much as possible. Until now we have chased and followed the virus and all this has led to the saturation of our hospitals and intensive care to a level of complexity and severity never seen before. It's nice to read about the sympathy and esteem shown to the medical and nursing staff of our hospitals, but everyone must understand that if we don't get the growth curve slowed down with the seriousness of our behaviour, all their efforts will be in vain.
We call on all citizens and residents in Italy, regardless of their region of residence, to follow to the letter and as scrupulously as possible the indications contained in the latest decree of the Prime Minister and the related implementing provisions.
No one could feel distant or immune from this serious epidemic, which we will be able to face and win only with a common effort first of trust in the experts, then of understanding and then of action".
The Rectors of the Universities of Lombardy:
Prof. Remo Morzenti Pellegrini – Università degli Studi di Bergamo
Prof. Gianmario Verona - Università Bocconi
Prof. Marco Montorsi - Humanitas University - Hunimed
Prof. Gianni Canova - Iulm Università
Prof. Federico Visconti - LIUC - Università Cattaneo
Prof. Ferruccio Resta - Politecnico di Milano
Prof. Riccardo Pietrabissa - Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia
Prof. Elio Franzini - Università degli Studi di Milano
Prof. Angelo Tagliabue - Università dell'Insubria
Prof. Francesco Svelto - Università degli studi di Pavia
Prof. Maurizio Tira - Università degli Studi di Brescia
Prof. Franco Anelli - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Prof. Enrico Felice Gherlone - Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele
Prof.ssa Giovanna Iannantuoni - Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca