Fig. 1

Admission of self-injured patients in ICU during the analysed year in pre-COVID (number of self-injuries/harms pre-COVID—blue wave—February 21st, 2019-February 21st, 2020) and post-COVID (number of self-injuries/harms post-COVID—yellow wave—February 22nd, 2020–February 22nd, 2021). Epidemiological data of COVID-19 positive cases in the corresponding timeframe of post-COVID is displayed in red. The main events in terms of closure and re-opening are marked. While a homogeneous distribution along the year of self-injuries/harms was observed pre-COVID, in post-COVID we registered no admissions during the first lockdown period (from March 9th to May 18th, 2020), where all non-essential activities were forbidden; the two admissions in March 2020th were registered before the beginning of the lockdown. A second shorter and less restrictive lockdown was established from November 3rd to December 5th, 2020th (also called red zone—maximal risk); afterward, Lombardy remained classified as orange (high risk)