A year of quarantine

I remember reading about the Coronavirus in the fall of 2019. But, back then, it seemed like something that would remain half a world away, like SARS or ebola. By January of 2020, I was traveling in Europe, and had visited a friend who was recovering from what we now call 'long-covid'. When I flew home in February I was nervous to learn that someone with Covid-19 had landed in Logan Airport the previous day. As the weeks past, the threat got closer and closer. On February 26th, there was a Biogen conference at the Marriott Long Wharf, just a 10 minute walk from my apartment. That conference would turn out to be the United States' first "super-spreader" event, infecting more than 300,000 Americans. On March 6th, I was at the Celtics game, and learned a few days later that members of the opposing Utah Jazz were infected. And just a few days after that, the elementary school directly across from my apartment, had closed due to a Covid-19 exposure. This invisible, deadly virus was creeping closer and closer. By St. Patrick's Day, Mayor Marty Walsh closed the bars in Southie to prevent large crowded gatherings, and soon after, we were all in lockdown.

As the weeks turned to months, the city of Boston emptied. The historic and often crowded North End looked like a ghost town. No lines at Mike’s Pastry or Pizzeria Regina, or even Paul Revere's House. It was a sight I had never imagined before. So, I masked-up and explored the city with my camera. Getting exercise, fresh air, and a glimpse of a deserted metropolis, something I’d be unlikely to ever see again. As we learned more about the spread, and risks, we saw masks become fashionable, restaurants and weddings move outdoors, and social distancing became a new way of life.

Now here we are, in March of 2021. More than a year has past since the pandemic began. Unfortunately we all know someone who has had Covid-19, and too many of us have lost of a loved one to this virus, 530,000+ American deaths and counting. As the vaccines roll out, we are all looking forward to hugging our friends and family again, and putting this somber year behind us.

Mask are everywhere

Put on your mask, thank our essential workers, and get in line for a vaccine!