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Timeline: COVID-19 pandemic begins forcing San Diego closures

Virus Outbreak California Daily Life
Posted at 12:26 PM, Mar 08, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-08 21:02:40-05

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — There's no debate that COVID-19 dominated 2020. From the first reports of a mysterious illness in China to a full-blown global pandemic that affected every aspect of our lives, the coronavirus and its impacts have been around for more than a year now.

It was early February 2020 when evacuees from Wuhan, China arrived in San Diego and were sent to MCAS Miramar to quarantine.

Despite the efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus in the U.S., it was just a few weeks later on March 9 that San Diego County public health officials confirmed the first local case. The next evening, the first group of people from a massive cruise ship arrived to quarantine at Miramar.

On March 11, the World Health Organization officially declares COVID-19 a pandemic. That same day, President Donald Trump announced a European travel ban and the NBA suspended its season.

One day later, San Diego County health officials confirmed several more positive cases and say "community spread" is likely. A public health order bans gatherings of 250 people or more. Those 65 and older are urged to stay home and San Diego Mayor Kevin Falconer issues a state of emergency.

By March 13, the San Diego Unified School District announced they'll be closing and moving classes online.

There's also an increase in panic buying, with things like cleaning supplies, toilet paper and even basic food staples flying off local store shelves faster then they can be replaced.

By the start of the following week, San Diego bars and nightclubs were forced to close and restaurants were scaled back to take out and delivery only.

Local universities asked their on-campus students to move out as soon as possible.

On March 19, Governor Gavin Newsom officially issued a stay-at-home order for all Californians.