A Year Of COVID: Looking Back At The Start Of The Pandemic In PA

PENNSYLVANIA — One year ago this week, Pennsylvania had yet to see its first case of COVID-19.

The notion of the virus and all its consequences seemed as distant as any other piece of news from around the world, even as global health experts warned that the spread of the virus in the United States appeared inevitable.

Little did most know, the state, along with much of the region, stood at the precipice of a global pandemic. Once the virus arrived, it triggered a historic chain reaction that drastically changed day-to-day life.

Just shy of a million cases have been confirmed in the state over the past year, along with nearly 25,000 deaths. Shutdowns plunged the state, along with much of the world, into a deep economic depression. An election was held, which was informed by the virus in myriad ways.

But there have been bright spots, too: unprecedented innovation, community solidarity, and resilience in the face of the unthinkable.

Here's a glance at how the timeline unfolded in Pennsylvania in those early, darker days of last spring now nearly a year past, in appreciation of just how far the state has come.

The early days

Many of the first known cases of the virus were traced to a market in Wuhan, China in early December 2019.

Within a matter of weeks, the virus had spread around much of the globe, and it arrived in the United States on Jan. 20, 2020 in Seattle.

First Pennsylvania cases confirmed

Over the next month, the virus moved steadily across the country, with officials in Pennsylvania finally warning in late February that outbreaks were a matter of "if, not when."

The very first cases of the virus were confirmed in Pennsylvania on March 6, and those numbers grew exponentially in a matter of days.

March 9: CHOP doctor spreads virus

An infected Children's Hospital of Philadelphia doctor with coronavirus had contact with 17 staff members and around two dozen patients at an outpatient facility in King of Prussia. The doctor had visited a country with known cases of coronavirus but was not on the CDC's Level 3 travel advisory list, which included highly infected countries like China, Iran, South Korea, and Italy.

The exposure prompted several school closings, including in both Bucks and Montgomery counties.

March 12: Montgomery County shut down

Early outbreaks of the virus were centered in southeastern Pennsylvania, with Montgomery County particularly becoming an epicenter. All schools, daycares, and many public places in Montgomery County were shut down on March 12.

By March 13, the county already had 17 new cases, of the state's total of 28.

March 13: First school closures ordered

Wolf announced that all schools in the state must close for 10 business days due to the outbreak.

Still not knowing just how severe the outbreak would be, Wolf said that after 10 days, he would re-evaluate and decide whether continued closure is needed. Pennsylvania has 33 cases by this time.

March 14: Wine and Spirits stores shut down, other closures recommended

The state took its shutdown efforts a step further on March 14, closing all Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties.

Within two days, that closure was expanded statewide.

"This was a tremendously difficult decision to make," said Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Chairman Tim Holden.

In southeastern Pennsylvania, the state began recommending, but not yet requiring, that gyms, theaters, malls, entertainment venues and community centers should close.

March 16: Economic impacts make themselves felt, young child infected

Pennsylvania workers impacted by the ongoing crisis became eligible for unemployment, with 63 cases now confirmed statewide.

The first pediatric case of the virus was found in Montgomery County in a two-year-old girl.

March 18: First death reported in the state

The governor's office confirmed an adult from Northampton County died from the virus, the first in the state. The person was being treated at a hospital. The person's age and gender were not released.

The man was one of three in the same family who later died from the virus.

March 19: All 'non-life-sustaining' businesses ordered to close

All businesses outside of grocery stores, pharmacies, and other essential operations were ordered to shut down.

The governor's order, aimed to slow the spread of coronavirus, was enforced. Violators faced fines and even imprisonment.

Wolf said the businesses must close because "this virus is an invisible danger that could be present everywhere. We need to act with the strength we use against any other severe threat. And, we need to act now before the illness spreads more widely."

March 20: Businesses that may stay open clarified

Here is the full list of businesses that were permitted to stay open, and those that were ordered to close.

March 23: Stay at home order issued in Philly area

Wolf issued a stay-at-home order across the Philadelphia region as the next step in the state's effort to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The initial stay-at-home order was to be in place for two weeks. School closures were extended by this point for another two weeks, through at least April 6.

During the stay-at-home order, you were permitted to leave your home in certain special circumstances, such as to buy food and pharmaceuticals. Outdoor exercise was also permitted, but nonessential travel was not.

March 24: Businesses refuse to comply with orders

PA State Police said they issued 27 warnings on the first day of enforcement of the order for all non-life-sustaining businesses to close.

Warnings were the first step in the enforcement process. If businesses do not comply, there were further enforcement measures threatened, which included citations, fines or license suspensions.

March 28: Death count reaches 34, 500 new cases found

The pandemic began its exponential intensification in short order, with 34 deaths reported by March 28. A total of 533 new cases were reported this day, the largest increase yet. The state's total stood at 2,751.

March 31: Trump approves disaster declaration for PA

The declaration provides federal assistance for state, county and municipal governments and certain nonprofits, as well as individuals struggling during the outbreak.

April 3: State urges residents to wear masks

State officials echoed the CDC, which encouraged Americans to wear cloth masks or face coverings while in public. Wolf said the public should reserve N95 masks for health care workers and asked residents to wear a homemade or cloth mask if they must go out. The state provided guidelines and instructions for people to make their own masks.

More than 100 Pennsylvanians are now dead from the virus.

April 14: State announces three-stage plan to battle pandemic

Pennsylvania is currently in the first stage — dealing with the immediate impacts of the health crisis. Officials are "focused on simply buying time to allow our health care system to build the capacity we need it to have."

While acknowledging "we want this stage to be over with as quickly as possible," Wolf noted many things must align in order to advance to the next phase, which is the transitional stage. The third stage is that "new normal," Wolf said.

"We need tests that can tell us when we are sick, and we need tests that can tell us when we are immune," he added.

The total number of COVID-19 cases has swelled to 24,199 and 524 deaths.

April 15: Safety measures ordered at essential businesses

The measures, which include mandatory mask wearing by employees and temperature checks if COVID-19 exposure has occurred, were enforced. Violations included citations, fines, or license suspensions.

Businesses authorized to stay open, including grocery stores and pharmacies, must now mandate employees wear masks, and must provide those masks for their workers if necessary. Businesses should require all customers wear masks, the order says.

April 23: Color-coded, region-based reopening plan announced

Pennsylvania announced a color-coded system to categorize the status of each region as it reopens, from red to yellow to green.

More than 36,00 cases and 1,421 deaths have been reported statewide.

April 28: Blue Angels, Thunderbirds flyover eastern PA

Navy and Air Force demonstration squadrons flew over the Philadelphia area in a display of national unity.

April 28: Spring peak reached

Officials were confident by late April that Philadelphia and the southeastern portion of the state was past the peak in coronavirus cases, even though they were behind the rest of the state in the reopening plan.

For more information on the COVID-19 vaccination in Pennsylvania, visit Patch's information hub.