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On March 11, 2020, the coronavirus outbreak became a pandemic, turning a surreal crisis into a sudden reality for many Chicagoans.

In a matter of hours, Chicago would record its first case at a downtown office building, and the city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations were canceled. Later that night, as many prepared to work from home indefinitely, there was a barrage of breaking news: Tom Hanks announced that he was infected, the NBA suspended its season and then-President Donald Trump banned most travel from Europe.

Over the next 10 days, the sports and entertainment industries would come to a halt, Illinois would hold a primary election despite calls for a delay and a stay-at-home order

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would go into effect across the state.

Here’s a look back at how the early days of the pandemic unfolded across our socially distanced public square — Twitter — and changed everything.

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It started with the NBA on March 11, 2020. 24 hours later, COVID-19 shut down the entire sports world.

A year ago, COVID shut down Chicago’s arts. Where are we now?

Photos: One year of COVID-19 in Chicago

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