ROME
Italians took to their balconies at midday on Saturday joining each other in collective applause to honor doctors, nurses and healthcare workers on the frontline to combat the coronavirus emergency.
From the northern city of Milan -- close to the epidemic's epicenter -- to the southern cities of Naples and Palermo, the applause was just one of the many initiatives across Italy which is under lockdown.
From Friday afternoon, hundreds of Italian citizens have joined social calls and flash mobs, organizing singalongs and improvised performances on their balconies. People of different ages sang popular songs of hope and solidarity