An oral history of March 11, 2020, and the start of the COVID era

Warnings of a pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, China, began quietly in December 2019. Over the weeks and months that followed, more information about this new form of coronavirus spread across the globe. For many Americans, however, the reality of the pandemic did not set in until March 11, 2020, when a confluence of major developments converged to cause a major shift in our way of life. One year later, Yahoo News has compiled an oral history of the events that ushered in “the new normal.”

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[elchia]

I remember being told we were being told we were getting 2 weeks off of school. We definitely weren't expecting a whole year and a half

[uncle-nice]

The pandemic exposed weaknesses in our global healthcare infrastructure and response mechanisms. We need to learn from this and prepare better for future crises.

[Celly_]

God it’s so weird watching this 3 years later

[queencancerous]

I still remember when this happened, it felt like a disaster movie was playing before my eyes.

[joeburreaux]

It wasn't the WHO declaring it a pandemic that got people alert, it was when the NBA suspended its season and Tom Hanks tested positive the same day was when people knew shit was going to go down.

[dpo]

Brings back the feelings I had around that time. Chilling stuff

[MrOneWay]

I still kind of pause to look in awe at full aisles of lysol disinfectant sprays, wipes, rubbing alcohol, and toilet paper whenever im at the grocery store.

[gatorjohnny]

Man, I don’t care what people say today about this pandemic, March of 2020 was scary AF!!! EVERYONE was scared. Like, what the hell is going on? The world literally stopped, and the movie Outbreak was next. That’s how it felt. Ugh!

[niles]

I lived in Kenmore, WA near where the U.S covid started. It was insane that our grocery stores got completely bought out of food, supplies and essentials for weeks. It was scary. I was told to start wearing a mask at work. Busses shut down, streets were empty, stores were closed, businesses shut their doors.

It was craaaazy. . .

[azolaun]

What a very odd and scary period that was. Really seemed like a different time in life when we didn't know as much at the time. From the grocery stores be low on paper towels/toliet paper, certain foods, restaurants changing how they work, sports being done in empty arenas, people leaving work in mass, depression was really high for some people I had lost some to suicide and families/coworkers around me lost people to coronavirus. Pictures of bustling cities in the world looking so barren and empty of life such as New York as an example. Interestingly we had more people online than ever for online gaming and people buying vr headset to meet up with people. I remember vr headset being sold out constantly. I remember playing a lot of games I never played and making close friends online. It was also odd receiving money from the government that helped me start a business. Interestingly quite a few people sat around and rethought their life and started working on skills, new hobbies, deciding what matters most, leaving jobs for something better. The covid era is something I'll never forget

[bac-woev]

It's been 4 years now
It's crazy to that things happened in the last 4 years are more than the entire 2010s decade

[bostonsucks]

Crazy crazy times we’ll talk about to our grandchildren

[edgariva]

I was in boot camp. I didn’t even realize how crazy this was because we were already off the grid and the second week we figured out the whole country shut down. We were the first cycle with this. I wish it never happened

[tracyjozefiak]

Its amazing I was in a freshman in high school when 9/11 happened. All those yes later I just became a mother of 3 when Covid-19 hit. To think I witnessed and lived threw a profound moment in history when I was a kid. And my children witnessed and lived threw thier own. So many bad things happen in the world and all we can do is pick the peices and keep going. We as human beings are strong and we can live and triumph threw the worst of times. I just hope and pray that in my grandchildrens generation and the generations to come won't have to go threw what we all did. God bless!! ❤🙏✝️

[aaronmartinez]

I was working at Home Depot Garden department and watching people buy bulks of water, toilet paper, Lysol, and etc. was insane to the point where the shelves were wiped out.
Then the long lines started because we were practically the few of essential stores open.

[Blindlygoingmandy]

I became symptomatic on March 11, 2020. We went all over trying to get care. I remember coming home and seeing the announcement on tv. It was bizarre. It was the last normal day of my life.

[JamesK]

Do this again for 2024 or 2025 and show how far we’ve come from 2020. Just seems like yesterday it started

[BlubberGod]

I remember the very end of 2019 just felt off then you had Kobe Bryants death in early 2020 which was crazy. When March rolled around it def felt like something outta a sci fi flick. Ill never forget the rabid customers during lockdown.

[zach.bickley]

I was living in Taiwan during this time and I remember watching the US descend into chaos in March while we had been locked down in January. Crazy times.

[billbraski]

I remember that covid was so deadly the media had to constantly remind me how deadly it was....