...the French went to wine (I think the same for the Italians)
I can't speak for the conditions in France but I can speak for the conditions for Italians, if they drank their own water it would probably kill them, or make them sick.
They all drink bottled water. But the main problem they aren't mentioning in Italy is the bad winter air. Northern Italy has the same problem every winter and it makes viruses much more transmissible.