So much has happened over the past year that it may be hard to remember what life was like pre-COVID. But let's flash back to December 2019, when the idea of social distancing, compulsory masking and lockdowns would have been met with disbelief and outrage by most Americans.
At that time, most were blissfully unaware of the pandemic that would change the world in the next few months. It wasn't until December 31, 2019, that the COVID-19 outbreak was first reported from Wuhan, China,
1 and at this point it was only referred to as cases of viral pneumonia, not a novel coronavirus.
2 I say "most" because it seems some people may have been aware of something lurking much earlier than it appeared.
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