A year ago New Yorkers woke up to a full lockdown. COVID-19 shut the city down. Infection and death were mounting and no one knew when it would end. The city became the epicenter of the deadly virus and had the highest number of confirmed cases of any state from the start of the U.S. outbreak until July 22. Throughout those hard months, the city looked like scenes straight out of a post-apocalyptic movie. Only essential businesses were open, grocery store shelves left empty, rush hour traffic didn’t exist and subway cars rode empty.
The streets did slowly came back to life, but the city still lacks the energy that it’s famous for.
Each photo represents a month of the pandemic, which so far has infected over 780,000 New Yorkers and killed 48,537.
APRIL, 2020
Time Square, New York is at a stand still with no tourists flooding the streets. April 7, 2020. Photo by Michelle Diaz
MAY 2020
Washington Square Park, New York pre-Covid is always filled with skaters and people eating outside. But not on May 13, 2020. Photo by Michelle Diaz
JUNE 2020
As the warm weather starts to take over New York, a woman cutting up mangos sell fruit up by the subway entrance. Brooklyn, New York. June 18, 2020. Photo by Michelle Diaz
JULY 2020
An empty subway car heading to Coney Island, New York. July 20, 2020. Photo by Michelle Diaz
SEPTEMBER 2020
People eat outside at That Diner in an outdoor setup that mimics indoor dining. Bowery, New York. September 9, 2020. Photo by Michelle Diaz
OCTOBER 2020
Path riders on route to the World Trade Center in New York. October 18, 2020. Photo by Michelle Diaz
NOVEMBER 2020
A sea of people crowd around Columbus Circle celebrating Joe Biden winning the 2020 Presidential Election. November 7, 2020. Photo by Michelle Diaz
DECEMBER 2020
People sit, socially distanced, to watch a video playing on a screen at the MOMA Museum. December 5, 2020. Photo by Michelle Diaz
JANUARY 2021
Broadway theaters remain shut down. Shubert Theatre, New York. January 18, 2021. Photo by Michelle Diaz
FEBUARY 2021
People wait on line to get vaccinated at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. February 17, 2021. Photo by Michelle Diaz
MARCH 2021
During an in-person NYU journalism graduate class, Digital Newsroom, students wear masks and maintain 6ft apart rules. March 11, 2021. Photo by Michelle Diaz
