In Spring 2020, Europe has been severely hit, not as a first destination, but certainly with the most dramatic impact, by the first wave of COVID-19. While the exact origin of the virus as well as the identification of the first known case are a matter of dispute at the time this report is being drafted (WHO, 2022; Roberts et al., 2021; Felter, 2021), medical evidence suggests that Europe initially faced the hardest consequences. The virus circulated rapidly and its tragic consequences in terms of surges in mortality rates became very early clear.This crisis prompted a rapid reaction by national authorities, who, first in Italy (9th March 2020), then in the rest of the EU, closed inter- and intra-national borders, and even citizens’ urban mobility, while also prohibiting, with a few notable exceptions such as Sweden, public gatherings (Piccoli et al., 2020). In many cases, production plants in non-indispensable manufacturing activities were also temporarily closed, and a ban on all public gatherings was issued.