If the apocalyptic sights greeting you at supermarkets in recent days have shattered your faith in humanity, please know there are people out there—and not only medical workers—who are making a positive impact amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
Versace chief creative officer Donatella Versace and her daughter Allegra Versace Beck have donated 200,000 euros to the intensive care department of San Raffaele hospital in Milan, Italy. The country is the second hardest-hit country after China, where the virus originated; At least 1,260 people have died and more than 17,600 have been infected. Italy's healthcare systems have been overwhelmed amid the rapidly rising number of patients.
"In times like this, it is important to be united and support however we can to help all those who are in the front lines, fighting every day to save hundreds of lives," Donatella said in a statement posted on Instagram. "This is why, Allegra and I have decided to make a personal donation of 200,000 euros to the intensive care department of San Raffaele hospital in Milan."
More than 144,000 have been diagnosed with the coronavirus worldwide and more than 5,300 have died since the virus was first discovered in China late last year. Millions of people have been "panic-buying," and even getting into fights with fellow patrons while depleting supermarket and online stores' supplies of household essentials such as toilet paper and water, as well as medical supplies such as face masks, causing shortages that have also affected hospitals and clinics.
"Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected by this disease and to all the doctors and medical staff who have been working heroically non-stop in the past weeks in the effort to take care of our loved ones," Donatella's statement continued. "This is when we, as a society, need to stand together and care for one another."
This past weekend, Giorgio Armani announced the donation of 1.25 million euros to the Luigi Sacco and San Raffaele hospitals and the Istituto dei Tumori in Milan, as well as the Istituto Lazzaro Spallanzani in Rome, which are all fighting the coronavirus spread in the country, WWD reported. In addition, luxury goods companies such as Bulgari, Dolce & Gabbana, LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SE, L'Oréal, the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc., and Swarovski have made donations to support the fight against the virus, the outlet said.