From what I understand about Italian culture, they kind of are. Older Italians seem to have much stronger social lives than in the US.
In Europe, the elderly are out and about, walking, sitting at parks, drinking coffee, the works. They’re actually still doing this as we speak in countries, from what friends and family tell me. Go figure.
However, even if they are in cafes, grocery stores, parks - the numbers are still very high.
This virus is either incredibly efficient and contagious (spread by totally asymptotic carrier pigeon patients > elderly) and/or it’s been there for a long time. Months.
For comparison, I live in NL and for me and the vast majority of my 20-30-something friends, visiting grandparents is relatively rare. For many of us even visiting parents is a 'once every x months' kind of thing.
On the other hand, when I lived around the mediterranean, not only was it expected to regularly interact with parents and grandparents, but it was often the case that they lived together, or at least close by.
Perhaps the 'quarantining'/neglect of the elderly in Northern-Europe that I've often criticised as inhumane is actually saving them in this particular situation.
I believe this to be accurate and have argued for it elsewhere.
It's incredibly contagious. Infection rate doubles every 2.5 days.
The young who live with extended families are the perfect carriers as they’re asymptomatic and elderly are close by, infected surfaces, etc.