A look back at March 2020: When COVID-19 came to Knox County and changed everything

A version of this article was originally published in December 2020.

Remember March 2020?

Maybe it feels like a lifetime ago, or like just last year. In real time, though, it was four years ago this month that the coronavirus pandemic arrived in Knox County.

Within just one month's time, it seemed like things went from worrisome headlines from elsewhere to one shocking announcement after another: rapidly growing numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths, Big Ears and sports canceled, schools and work moving online, businesses closed, grocery store shelves stocked one day and emptied the next.

Your Facebook Memories lately might have been reminding you of what life abruptly became back then. Here's a look back at how quickly things changed across just 31 days of that fateful March.

March 1, 2020

• The second coronavirus death is confirmed in the United States, a man in his 70s with underlying health conditions in Washington state.

March 2, 2020

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 102 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States.

March 3, 2020

• The Dow falls more than 500 points as pandemic concerns begin to mount.

• The CDC reports 122 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States.

March 4, 2020

• The CDC reports 158 confirmed case of COVID-19 in the United States.

March 5, 2020

• Tennessee reports its first confirmed case of COVID-19. The patient is an adult male from Williamson County who had traveled out of state.

March 6, 2020

• Kentucky reports its first confirmed case of COVID-19.

March 7, 2020

• The CDC reports 437 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States.

March 8, 2020

• The CDC reports 550 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States.

March 9, 2020

• Italy begins a national lockdown.

March 10, 2020

• Tennessee reports seven COVID-19 cases in the state.

March 11, 2020

• The World Health Organization declares the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic.

• President Donald Trump signs a European travel ban.

• Knoxville's Big Ears Festival announces the annual music festival, planned for March 26-29 in venues around downtown, is canceled.

• Tennessee reports nine COVID-19 cases in the state.

• The University of Tennessee at Knoxville announces all classes are moving online for several weeks.

• NCAA limits attendance for its annual March Madness tournament to "essential staff," school officials and family members over coronavirus concerns. That night, SEC bars fans from attending the SEC Tournament in Nashville.

• The NBA's Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder walk off the floor before the start of their game in Oklahoma City after Jazz center Rudy Gobert tests positive for the coronavirus. The NBA later suspends the season.

March 12, 2020

• Knox County reports its first COVID-19 case, the second in East Tennessee and 18th in the state. The person was exposed to the virus overseas and is considered an isolated case.

• Knoxville's St. Patrick's Day parade is canceled.

• Gov. Bill Lee declares a state of emergency due to COVID-19 spread.

• Knox County Schools begin spring break early, closing schools the day before the scheduled break.

• The TSSAA suspends the girls and boys basketball state tournaments over concerns about the spread of COVID-19. The state's high school sports authority later cancels all spring sports and delays summer workouts.

• The College World Series is canceled.

• Major League Baseball cancels remaining spring training games. It delays the regular season for at least two weeks.

• As the University of Tennessee basketball team warms up for its SEC Tournament game against Alabama, the SEC abruptly cancels the tournament over coronavirus concerns.

• Later that afternoon, the SEC suspends regular season and postseason play for its schools until March 30. Hours later, the NCAA cancels all winter and spring sport championships, including the beloved March Madness tournament. The SEC suspends all team functions for another two weeks.

March 13, 2020

• President Donald Trump declares COVID-19 a national emergency.

• Tennessee reports 26 COVID-19 cases in the state.

• Dollywood announces its 35th season, planned to open to passholders the following day, is postponed until March 28. The Pigeon Forge attraction ultimately does not open until June.

• The Knoxville Marathon, originally scheduled for March 28-29, is postponed until fall. The races are later canceled completely.

March 14, 2020

• Tennessee Theatre and Bijou Theatre cancels and postpones shows for the next few weeks. At the time, Knoxville does not have an official mandate to close venues or restrict large gatherings.

• Tennessee reports 32 COVID-19 cases in the state.

March 15, 2020

• Tennessee reports 39 COVID-19 cases in the state.

March 16, 2020

• Tennessee reports 52 COVID-19 cases in the state.

• The Knox County Health Department announces the first COVID-19 case in the county from community spread.

• Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon declares a state of emergency, giving the city special powers to shift funding.

• Knox County Schools announces it will close all schools through April 3 after Gov. Bill Lee urges all schools to close “as soon as practically possible.” KCS does not reopen until August.

• Regal Cinemas makes the "difficult decision" to temporarily close its theaters. The Knoxville-based theater company attempts to reopen over the summer, then closes its venues again.

• The Knoxville Ice Bears, along with the nine other teams in the Southern Professional Hockey League, cancel the rest of the hockey season.

• The University of Tennessee at Knoxville says it will keep all classes online for the remainder of the semester.

March 17, 2020

• Tennessee reports 73 COVID-19 cases in the state.

• The SEC, along with the NCAA, cancels all regular-season athletic competitions and postseason tournaments through the academic year.

• All organized events, tournaments and leagues at Knoxville Parks and Recreation facilities are canceled.

March 18, 2020

• Tennessee reports 98 COVID-19 cases in the state.

• Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival announced it will postpone its June festival until September over concerns about the spread of coronavirus. The festival is later scrapped for 2020.

March 19, 2020

• Tennessee reports 154 COVID-19 cases in the state.

March 20, 2020

• Tennessee reports the state's first COVID-19 death: a 73-year old man with underlying health conditions in Davidson County. The death comes as the state reports a total of 228 COVID-19 cases.

• The city of Knoxville issues an executive order to close restaurants, bars, gyms and commercial event venues in city limits for two weeks.

March 21, 2020

• Tennessee reports 371 COVID-19 cases in the state.

March 22, 2020

• Tennessee reports 505 COVID-19 cases in the state.

March 23, 2020

• Knox County Health Department Director Martha Buchanan issues the county’s “safer at home” order, closing nonessential businesses and encouraging residents throughout the county to stay home when possible and avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people for nonessential purposes. The order is planned for two weeks, but lasts nearly a month.

March 24, 2020

• Tennessee reports 667 COVID-19 cases and two deaths in the state.

• The Tokyo Olympics are postponed until 2021 by the International Olympic Committee.

• Knox County Schools announces it will close until April 24 after Gov. Bill Lee's recommendation. KCS does not reopen until August.

• The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission clarifies Gov. Bill Lee's executive order allowing restaurants and bars to temporarily serve alcohol with takeout and delivery food orders.

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park announces that all access, including roads and trails, will be closed through mid-April. The closure comes after the country's most-visited national park saw an estimated 30,000 people each day over the previous week.

March 25, 2020

• Tennessee reports 784 COVID-19 cases and three deaths in the state.

March 26, 2020

• The U.S. Senate passes the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, providing $2 trillion in aid to hospitals, small businesses, and state and local governments.

• Tennessee reports 957 COVID-19 cases and three deaths in the state.

March 27, 2020

• The U.S. House of Representatives approves the CARES Act, the largest economic recovery package in history, and President Donald Trump signs it into law. The bipartisan legislation provides direct payments to Americans - $1,200 per adult and $500 per child - along with expansions in unemployment insurance.

• The United States surpasses 100,000 COVID-19 cases.

• Tennessee reports 1,203 COVID-19 cases and six deaths in the state.

March 28, 2020

• Tennessee reports 1,373 COVID-19 cases and six deaths in the state.

March 29, 2020

• Tennessee reports 1,537 COVID-19 cases and seven deaths in the state.

March 30, 2020

• Knox County reports its first death from complications of COVID-19. The person contracted the virus through community spread, but it is not known exactly how or where they were infected. At the time, Knox County has 57 cases of the coronavirus.

• Tennessee reports 1,834 COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths in the state.

• Gov. Bill Lee enacts an executive order, implementing the state’s “safer at home” order, urging Tennesseans to stay home unless engaging in essential activities. That day, the state reports 1,834 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. The order is planned for two weeks, but lasts until April 30.

March 31, 2020

• Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon issues the city’s own “safer at home” order. "Too many people are not taking this seriously. I issued this order so our codes enforcement officers, Parks and Rec employees, Knoxville Fire Department inspectors and Knoxville Police Department officers will be empowered to enforce this life-saving order,” she writes in a release.

• Tennessee reports 2,239 COVID-19 cases and 23 deaths in the state.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: A look back at March 2020 and COVID-19 pandemic's effects in Knoxville