The Italian Red Cross collects donations in bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Helperbit platform is helping them in the process of fundraising.

The proceeds from the fundraising will reportedly be used to set up an “advanced second-level medical facility to pre-triage COVID-19 cases in this country.” The target of EUR 10,000 has been already achieved and it will be used for the purchase of necessary medical equipment and the construction of infrastructure. The surplus will be spent to cover the costs of protection for the medical personnel who will be involved in the project according to the notice they posted on the fundraising page.

Bitcoin vs. Coronavirus

Bruno Pietrosanti, chairman of the Colli Albani Committee, who is also involved in the collection, said that they aim to reduce the pressure on hospitalizations due to the increase in the number of infected patients and the reduced number of places available in Italian hospitals, adding:

“ We believe that an innovative fundraising tool like Bitcoin can help us find the necessary economic resources, that are very difficult to obtain in this historical moment.”

The campaign is also supported by Young Srl, a fintech startup that operates in the cryptocurrency sector to support community initiatives, and by Blockchain Education Network Italy, a non-profit organization that promotes BTC and blockchain in Italy.

Andrea Ferrero, CEO of Young SRL, commented on the use of blockchain in this fundraiser:

“I strongly believe that blockchain technology is more effective and transparent to support this type of initiative. Young is a company that aims to create or exploit innovative models to improve existing procedures and we will always be at the forefront in supporting charitable projects, such as the Red Cross one. ”

Emiliano Palermo, representative of Blockchain Education Network Italy, emphasized the importance of these platforms that offer “transparency” of donations in the face of the coronavirus crisis in this country.

The current situation in Italy

According to official data on March 15, 2020, the number of deaths due to coronavirus in Italy is 1,441 and the number of infected people is 21,157 cases that have already been confirmed. The authorities owe their negligence, which responded to the pandemic of the disease with a delay of nearly two weeks.