Genoa resident Eyal Lerner is an Israeli who has been living in Italy for the past 25 years. He believes Italy serves as a warning to other countries. Among the dead is his friend’s 78-year-old father, who couldn’t properly say goodbye to his loved ones.

Empty toilet paper shelves, empty seats at restaurants, empty desks in schools. These emerging iconic coronavirus images have become commonplace in Europe as the continent begins nationwide lockdowns amid a rising number of COVID-19 cases. On March 14, the World Health Organization called Europe the “epicenter” of the pandemic.