declared COVID-19 a pandemic — essentially marking the start of a new era.At the time, few could foresee the long road ahead or the many ways in which they would suffer.
Over the course of the next 12 months, millions of people would die or become so sick they required hospitalization, and national economies would be devastated by public lockdowns and record unemployment.The pandemic would disrupt the lives of nearly everyone on the planet, causing loneliness and isolation for many.
On the same day the virus was characterized as a pandemic, the NBA canceled the rest of its season and actor Tom Hanks said he and his wife, Rita Wilson, had both tested positive for the virus.