Then and Now: Photos from the First Week of the Pandemic

This month marks four years since the World Heal Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global emergency, and photographs the first week of lockdown show exactly how chaotic (and eerie) normal activities like Target runs or grocery shopping soon became.

The images are also a reminder of just how little we knew about the threats that COVID posed, and how underprepared our infrastructure was to support the sudden demands for items like toilet paper and hand sanitizer (below).

Nearly every Target across the country had the same signs hanging up in their hand sanitizer aisle in March 2020 (TSM Poughkeepsie)

Anniversary of COVID Lockdown in New York

To many, the lack of hand sanitizer paled in comparison to the toll COVID restrictions took on local businesses, especially restaurants. While many quick-thinking owners were able to convert to carry-out orders, most stores, including huge national brands like Starbucks, were closed for weeks (below).

At the beginning of the pandemic, even businesses like Starbucks needed to close (TSM Poughkeepsie)

The Birth of Social Distancing in New York State

March 2020 was also the birth of a new phrase that has since made a permanent home in our vocabulary: social distancing. Not only were New Yorkers reminded to keep six feet apart indoors, but even socially-distanced outdoor gatherings gained popularity (below).

Socially-distanced outdoor gatherings gained popularity at the beginning of the COVID pandemic (TSM Poughkeepsie)

Silver Lining of the COVID Pandemic

One of the silver linings of the COVID pandemic was the sense of community that only grew stronger not only in the Hudson Valley, NY, but across the planet. Random acts of kindness and positive messages (below) began popping up everywhere.

Positive messages and random acts of kindness were silver linings of the COVID pandemic (TSM Poughkeepsie)

Sometimes the beginning of the pandemic can feel like a blur. Between sanitizing groceries and developing vaccines, it's hard to keep the timeline straight. Take a look at the most impactful events on the COVID pandemic in chronological order below, and keep scrolling to see which symptoms can still lead to hospitalizations in 2024.