On March 11, 2020, five years ago today, the COVID-19 pandemic officially began.
The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, spinning the world into a transformative – and deadly – period. According to the Mississippi Department of Health (MSDH), 12,614 Mississippians were killed by COVID from 2020 to 2024, with the virus labeled a “contributing factor” in 15,480 other deaths in that span.
COVID had been slowly climbing into the public conscious since January of 2020, when rumors began floating out of China that a new disease had arisen. But on March 11, the pace of change hit warp speed, making the virus’ impact a reality for all.
The NBA suspended it’s 2019-2020 season the same day. On that fateful Wednesday, other news like Tom and Rita Wilson announcing they had tested positive for COVID became the focus of international spectacle. It was also the day that the Magnolia State confirmed its first case in Forrest County.
A day later, the NCAA announced that March Madness had been canceled.
Then-first term Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves issued a state of emergency on March 14, following the suit of nearly every other state in the union to make the call that week.
On April 1, 2020, Reeves closed the doors of Mississippi, issuing Executive Order 1466, a measure that placed citizens on “shelter-in-place” orders. The governor’s move made Mississippi become the 39th state to issue a lockdown order.
A flurry of orders from the governor followed over the next 13 months, including a 10-day extension of the lockdown on April 17, 2020, and the temporary closure of all “non-essential” businesses in the state. On April 27, 2020, Reeves rolled out a “Safer at Home” plan, gradually lifting restrictions on citizens and businesses.
The last of the COVID pandemic restrictions was lifted by Reeves on April 30, 2021.
Phrases like “you’re on mute,” “social distancing,” “mask up,” and “contact tracing” entered the common lexicon, and the way we interact with everyday activities shifted. Virtual dates, concerts, and happy hours became commonplace, while weekly trips to the grocery store became an adventure.
Since 2020, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than seven million COVID-19 deaths have been reported globally. Aside from the loss of loved ones and a nearly crippled healthcare system, the world looks starkly different than it did five years ago.
On May 5, 2023, 1,156 days after WHO declared COVID a pandemic, the organization said the virus was no longer a global health crisis.
The severity and prevalence of COVID-19 is a small shadow of what it was at the height of the pandemic. Today, MSDH officials recommend staying away from others if you test positive for COVID until you are symptom free for 24 hours, similar to the protocol for other illnesses like the common flu.
