We understand that it may be difficult to recall all the events of the last year. Below is a non-exhaustive list of events that occurred during this time frame and related solely to the COVID-19 pandemic between February 1, 2020 - May 11, 2020 at Emory, Emory Law, Georgia, and the United States.
For a worldwide and updated list of the COVID-19 timeline, please visit ThinkGlobalHealth.org.
FEBRUARY
- February 1, 2020 - the United States confirms its 8th case
- February 4, 2020 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issues and emergency use authorization for CDC's diagnostic test.
- February 5, 2020 - President Trump acquitted by the Senate on Impeachment charges.
- February 5, 2020 - The United States begins the second round of evacuations from Wuhan
- February 8, 2020 - WHO announces a team of experts to go to China
- February 10, 2020 - The Trump Administration releases budget proposal for FY21 that would cut funding for WHO and global health
- February 11, 2020 - WHO names the disease COVID-19, short for "coronavirus disease 2019"
- February 11-12, 2020 - WHO hosts a two-day global research and innovation forum on the coronavirus
- February 13, 2020 - U.S. CDC Director says that the coronavirus will likely become a community virus and remain beyond this season. The United States reports the 15th case.
- February 15, 2020 - The United States announces a plan to evacuate 400 Americans guaranteed on the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
- February 17, 2020 - Evacuated U.S. passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship arrive in the United States. There are 14 passengers with confirmed infections.
- February 18, 2020 - U.S. CDC issues statement on the Diamond Princess Quarantine, preventing all passengers and crew of the ship from returning to the United States for at least fourteen days after leaving the cruise ship.
- February 19, 2020 - COVID-19 death toll surpasses 2,000 worldwide
- February 24, 2020 - The Trump Administration sends a budget request to Congress for $2.5 billion to fight COVID-19
- February 25, 2020 - The U.S. CDC warns that spread to the United States is likely and that people should prepare; San Francisco becomes the first U.S. city to declare a state of emergency over COVID-19
- February 26, 2020 - President Trump names Vice President Mike Pence to lead the U.S. COVID-19 response
- February 27, 2020 - U.S. CDC widens its testing guidelines.
- February 29, 2020 - The United States reports first death from COVID-19; Washington State declares a state of emergency. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams advises Americans not to buy or wear face masks.
MARCH
- March 1, 2020 - Global death toll surpasses 3,000; the United States reports second death
- March 2, 2020 - First case of coronavirus in Georgia.
- March 4, 2020 - House passes $8.3 billion emergency coronavirus bill; California declares state of emergency
- March 6, 2020 - President Trump tours the CDC in Atlanta, GA, and gives a press conference; CDC urges those over 60 years of age to stay indoors.
- March 7, 2020 - New York declares state of emergency
- March 9 - 13, 2020 - Law School Spring Break
- March 9, 2020 - Emory University observes CDC guidance to require travelers, including faculty, staff, and students, to wait 14 days before returning to campus.
- March 10, 2020 - Twenty-three United States states have declared states of emergency
- March 11, 2020 - WHO Declares Worldwide Pandemic. Emory Provost Extends Spring Break to March 22, 2020
- March 12, 2020 - Georgia reports its first coronavirus related death.
- March 13, 2020 - President Trump Declares a National Emergency under the Stafford Act; States begin to close schools; Emory Law Addresses Student Continuity Questions
- March 14, 2020 - Georgia Governor Kemp Declares a State of Emergency; Georgia postpones their Democratic primary due to safety concerns
- March 15, 2020 - Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms declares a city-wide state of emergency, which prohibits gatherings of more than 250 people. Twenty-nine schools in Georgia announce school closures. A funeral home in Albany, GA is found to be a super-spreader location, as funerals held on February 29th and March 7th contributed greatly to the spread of coronavirus in Georgia. The super-spreader event is linked to the first coronavirus death in Georgia.
- March 16, 2020 - Georgia Governor Kemp Closes Public K-12 Schools; CDC reports over 4,000 cases of coronavirus in the United States
- March 17, 2020 - The coronavirus reaches all 50 U.S. states.
- March 18, 2020 - Emory Univesity Cancels In-Person Graduation; President Trump signs the Family First Coronavirus Response Act into law; The United States and Canada suspend non-essential travel between the countries.
- March 19, 2020 - The United States CDC reports more than 13,000 coronavirus cases. California issues a stay-at-home order for the entire state.
- March 20, 2020 - Trump invokes Defense Production Act to disperse medical supplies to hospitals. The U.S. CDC reports more than 18,000 cases. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms orders businesses to close.
- March 23, 2020 - Georgia Governor Kemp issues Shelter in Place Order. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms signs a stay at home order for city residents, except essential personnel. Dekalb County enacts 'voluntary curfew.' WHO announces the "pandemic is accelerating."
- March 27, 2020 - CARES Act signed into Law
- March 24, 2020 - The United States reaches 50,000 coronavirus cases; Japan postpones the 2020 summer Olympics. Georgia Governor Kemp orders all bars and clubs to close.
- March 25, 2020 - WHO warns there is a significant shortage of medical supplies.
- March 26, 2020 - United States death toll reaches 1,000.
- March 29, 2020 - President Trump extends social distancing guidelines until April 20. The United States passes 140,000 cases, the most worldwide.
- March 30, 2020 - Emory Law Begins full remote work for Faculty, Staff, and Librarians. President Trump reports more than 1 million Americans have been tested for coronavirus.
APRIL
- April 1, 2020 - Georgia Governor Kemp Closes Public K-12 Schools through the end of the school year
- April 2, 2020 - Georgia Governor Kemp extends Shelter in Place to April 13, 2020, after learning that an asymptomatic carrier could transmit the disease. Global coronavirus cases pass the one million mark, death toll passes 50,000.
- April 3, 2020 - President Trump invokes the Defense Productions Act to halt the export of masks and other PPE. U.S. Surgeon General Adams and CDC reverse mask-wearing guidance and suggested asymptomatic persons should wear masks. Georgia Governor Kemp issued an order suspecting local shelter-in-place order to reopen local beaches, with social distancing requirements in place.
- April 5, 2020 - CDC begins testing blood for coronavirus immunity. The United States reports 1,300 coronavirus deaths in one day, the highest daily spike.
- April 7, 2020 - United States death toll passes 10,000.
- April 8, 2020 - Georgia Governor Kemp extends Shelter in Place to April 30, 2020; Global coronavirus cases surpass 1.5 million.
- April 9, 2020 - 6.6 million Americans file for unemployment claims in one week, bringing the total over three weeks to over 17 million.
- April 10, 2020 - World coronavirus deaths surpass 100,000. New York City reports more coronavirus cases than any country.
- April 11, 2020 - The United States coronavirus numbers surpass Italy. The U.S. Internal Revenue Services deposits its first round of stimulus checks to Americans.
- April 14, 2020 - President Trump delays thousands of stimulus checks to mandate that his name appears on the check. New York City's coronavirus death toll passes 10,000.
- April 15, 2020 - President Trump delays funding to WHO.
- April 16, 2020 - President Trump unveils a set of guidelines for opening America, giving liberty to state Governors to choose whether to lift restrictions statewide or on a county-by-county basis.
- April 17, 2020 - U.S. Vice President Pence declares that the United States has enough tests for a phase one reopening.
- April 19, 2020 - U.S Secretary of Defense, Mark T. Esper, extends the Department of Defense travel ban until June 30 due to coronavirus concerns. Orthodox churches in Georgia host Easter masses for hundreds of parishioners despite a state of emergency.
- April 20, 2020 - President Trump announces temporary immigration suspension for 60 days by Executive Order. Many U.S. Hospitals reopen for elective surgeries.
- April 21, 2020 - Congressional leaders and the White House strike a deal to deliver $480 million in relief to small businesses and hospitals.
- April 23, 2020 - Georgia Governor Kemp allows certain businesses to reopen, including dine-in restaurants, gyms, nail salons, and tattoo parlors.
- April 24, 2020 - United States' coronavirus death toll passes 50,000.
- April 27, 2020 - Emory Law Spring Classes End.
- April 28, 2020 - The United States records over one million coronavirus cases.
- April 30, 2020 - Georgia Governor Kemp Extends the State of Emergency to June 12, 2020
MAY
- May 5, 2020 - Number of cases globally surpasses 3.5 million; The Trump Administration considers phasing out coronavirus task force.
- May 10, 2020 - Global number of cases reaches 4 million.
- May 11, 2020 - Emory Law's end of term/ Graduation Date. Two White House staff members test positive for the virus. Hydroxychloroquine is proven ineffective against COVID-19.
- Emory Law's MacMillan Library reopens
