The COVID-19 pandemic was a global public health crisis caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. It was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and rapidly spread worldwide, leading the World Health Organization to declare it a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The virus primarily spread through respiratory droplets, causing a wide range of symptoms from mild to severe respiratory illness and, in some cases, death. In response, countries implemented various containment measures, including lockdowns, travel restrictions, mask mandates, and mass testing. The development and global distribution of vaccines began in late 2020, significantly reducing rates of severe illness and death, though variants of the virus have continued to emerge. The pandemic had far-reaching impacts on public health, global economies, education, and social behavior.

Contexts

*