AP Was There: The surreal first day of the pandemic

By The Associated Press

On the day the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic, Koloud “Kay” Tarapolsi reflected the views of many people when she told an Associated Press reporter: “If we avoid each other and listen to the scientists, maybe in a few weeks it will be better.” If only she knew. News coverage of the first day of the pandemic, March 11, 2020, is a fascinating lookback in time at a world experiencing combination of denial and panic about a virus that was still a mystery to many. People were stunned at the idea that schools and sporting events were being shuttered, developments that became the norm over the next two years.