Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyze the responsiveness of welfare policies to Covid-19 pandemic in Italy, during the first wave of the health crisis. In particular, the main focus of analysis concerns long-term care policies and, more specifically, the sector of nursing homes for elderly people, which has been one of the most affected by the pandemic, in terms of infections and deaths. The article highlights the particular critical condition for Italy in a comparative perspective, and investigates the political and institutional factors that explain why the impact of the pandemic on these structures has been highly problematic.