During the pandemic, there were those who couldn't do their shopping for one reason or another, so volunteers would help out. Some could pay for their groceries, but others couldn't. At the beginning of the video, we're in the ZEN, a housing project on the outskirts of Palermo. ZEN stands for Zona Espansione Nord (northern expansion zone). Towards the end of the segment, we're at Milan's Pio Albergo Trivulzio, a nursing home and hospital where many people died in the first wave of Covid-19.

During the lockdown of 2020, cities were deserted. The urban landscape changed drastically and some strange things happened, too.

During the pandemic, children keep being born, which is a a joyous event. At the same time, people, especially the elderly, die with no loved ones around, no closure, no goodbyes. The doctors and nurses worry constantly about having been careful enough with their PPE.

How can you stay fit if you are shut up in your apartment? It's not easy, but it can be done. And what if you're a musician? Your balcony becomes your stage, and the adjacent buildings, your audience.

What is chromotherapy? Marino, who is a chromotherapist, explains this fascinating branch of alternative medicine.

Living in a studio apartment during the quarantine was especially challenging. Bergamo was one of the worst hit cities in Italy and the rate at which coffins piled up was shocking.

During the first wave of the pandemic, working in the hospital was especially grim. No visitors were allowed, so families had to stay close by phone and with a health-care worker helping out. It was hard for everyone.

Italians adopted English words to describe the new system of working from home. They've called it smart working. No one was happy about the virus, but some people could see the bright side. Others were very stressed out and would go on a disinfecting rampage. The worst situation was in hospitals, where health care workers were pretty much flying blind.

Going to school remotely from home was hard for everyone, kids and young adults alike, not to mention for the teachers. And, just imagine trying to train to be a ballet dancer. People had to get creative and at the same time, deal with reality.

There were a few places untouched by the pandemic, for example, near the North Pole. Some people had a hard time getting out of bed. Others became creative.