Covid Timeline

Minister Boris Johnson instructed us, plainly and simply, ‘you must stay at home’. He told the nation, ‘stay at home, protect our NHS and save lives’.

We came together to help our communities. We clapped our keyworkers. Our kitchens became offices, classrooms and an endless conveyor of snacks and meals. We Zoomed, Skyped and phoned our way through Lockdown to stay in touch with loved ones. We learnt new skills. We learnt to live in our new normal. And we did ourselves proud.

Here, we have put together a timeline showing how COVID-19 tore the world apart, made the unimaginable our reality, and broke our hearts – but never our spirit.

January Coronavirus, believed to be spread by respiratory droplets created by coughing or sneezing, and by touching contaminated surfaces, hits Wuhan in China. We now know that the most common symptoms are a fever, new and continuous cough, shortness of breath, tiredness, loss of appetite, taste and smell. Terrifyingly, it can also be carried by people who have no symptoms January 31 – First UK case of COVID-19 confirmed

March Strong measures to contain coronavirus begin. Because of how it is spread, we are told to avoid close contact with – and to stay two metres apart from - everyone except those we live with, and wash our hands frequently with soap and water, for 20 seconds each time Panic buying and stockpiling lead to supermarkets restricting purchases March 5 – First registered death from COVID-19 in the UK March 11 – World Health Organisation declares a global pandemic March 13 – London Marathon postponed March 17 – Euro 2020 football tournament called off March 19 – English football suspended March 20 – Schools close to all children apart from those of keyworkers and those who are classed as vulnerable. Pubs, bars, restaurants and gyms are among businesses told to shut, and people able to work from home must do so March 23 – Lockdown begins – we may only leave our homes for essential food, medicine, to give care, or for one form of exercise each day. More than 27 million of us watch Boris Johnson make this devastating announcement March 23 – Chancellor Rishi Sunak announces the government’s Furlough scheme, to pay 80 per cent of the wages of workers unable to do their jobs during Lockdown March 23 – Joe Wicks becomes The Nation’s PE Teacher March 24 – Tokyo Olympics postponed

April April 5 – Boris Johnson hospitalised due to coronavirus April 12 – Boris leaves hospital Mid-April - More than 2 million cases are reported worldwide April 30 – Boris says UK is past the peak June June 1 – Schools begin to reopen for reception children and those in years one and six June 13 – The beginning of bubbles. An adult who lives alone may go into the home of one other person or family June 15 – Years 10 and 12 can return to secondary schools and non-essential shops are allowed to open June 29 – Areas of Leicester are subject to the first Local Lockdown due to an increase in cases

July July 4 – Super Saturday – pubs, restaurants and hairdressers are among those services allowed to reopen Second half of July - More than 15 million global cases have been confirmed July 24 - Face coverings must be worn in shops in England

August August 8 – Face coverings must now be worn at venues including museums, galleries, cinemas and public libraries August 21 – More than 22.7 million cases confirmed globally and over 794,000 deaths

September September 13 – No more than 6 people to meet in groups inside or outside in England. Higher fines enforced by police for those breaking the rules.