Special Report

Shutdown: The Coronavirus

One year of COVID-19 in New York City

Businesses boarded up and closed during the shutdown. Little Italy, New York. March 30, 2020. Photo by Michelle Diaz

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

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