2 years of COVID-19: Some of the moments that defined the pandemic in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS — For the last two years, so much of our lives have been changed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

From staying at home to help slow the spread, to wearing masks, to COVID-19 vaccines becoming available, the last two years have been a lot.

Here's a timeline looking at the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on Indiana.

• Jan. 9, 2020: The World Health Organization and Chinese authorities identify a novel coronavirus outbreak.
• Jan. 20, 2020: A 35-year-old man in Washington state is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the United States.
• Jan. 30, 2020: WHO declares a public health emergency.
  Feb. 11, 2020: WHO the new coronavirus disease will be called COVID-19
• March 6, 2020: The first confirmed case of COVID-19 is announced in Indiana. Gov. Eric Holcomb and state health officials declare a public health emergency.
• March 11, 2020: WHO declares the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.

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• March 16, 2020: Roberta Shelton, a Marion County resident, is the first Hoosier to die of COVID-19.
• March 23, 2020: Holcomb issues a stay-at-home order to slow the spread of COVID-19.
• May 1, 2020: Officials release plan to reopen Indiana.
• July 22, 2020: Holcomb issues mask mandate across the state.

Courtesy of IndyCar Communication/Walt Kuhn

• Aug. 23, 2020: For the first time in history, the Indianapolis 500 is held without fans.
• Sept. 23, 2020: Indiana fully reopens and moves to stage 5 of the state’s reopening plan.
• Dec. 9, 2020: Cases start to rise again. Holcomb announces limits on gathering sizes based on a county’s COVID-19 metrics.

Indiana State Department of Health

• Dec. 14, 2020: The first COVID-19 vaccine dose is administrated in Indiana.
• Jan. 4, 2021: Officials announce all of the NCAA March Madness games will be played in Indianapolis and central Indiana.
• April 6, 2021: Indiana's statewide mask mandate becomes an advisory.

WRTV photo/Jonathon Christians

• July 28, 2021: Holcomb urges Hoosiers to get vaccinated as cases rise due to the delta variant.
• August 2021: Schools begin the new school year. Some schools start the school year off with a mask requirement, but none of the schools WRTV checked with required vaccination.
• Dec. 9, 2021: Indiana National Guard comes to assist IU Health.
• Dec. 17, 2021: IU Health said they are dealing with an “all-time high” number of COVID-19 patients.
• Dec. 19, 2021: IDOH announces the first case of the omicron variant has been detected in an unvaccinated Hoosier.

Photo Provided/Spc. Raekwon Jenkins

• Dec 20, 2021: U.S. Army announces a 20-person medical team from the U.S. Navy is coming to IU Health Methodist Hospital as they deal with an increase of patients.
• Feb. 25, 2022: The CDC released new guidance easing indoor mask guidance in public places and schools based on the area’s risk level.
• Feb. 28, 2022: Indiana reports the lowest number of new cases since July 2021.
• March 3, 2022: Holcomb signs a bill to end the state's COVID-19 public health emergency.