KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — It has been 2 years since the first COVID-19 case was reported by the Knox County Health Department. That case was originally considered an isolated incident since the person had been exposed to the coronavirus overseas.
It was reported the day after the World Health Organization announced the outbreak of the coronavirus was a global pandemic.
March 12 was also the day Governor Bill Lee declared a state of emergency and waived some laws to help the state respond to the pandemic faster. The order was later repealed and replaced by a similar executive order a week later.
On March 13, former President Donald Trump proclaimed the COVID-19 outbreak was a national emergency. Three days later, KCHD said it had its first confirmed case of someone getting COVID-19 from a person in the community and Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon declared a state of emergency in the city.
COVID-19 had become a central part of people's lives in a matter of days. In the years that followed, cases would rise and fall. Variants would emerge that could spread even faster, but the coronavirus was also thwarted by vaccinations.
Through these kinds of medicines, people stood a far smaller chance of developing severe sicknesses from COVID-19. Over time, social distancing requirements and curfews would be removed from bars and restaurants as the CDC delivered more guidance to help people through the pandemic.
Political controversies over whether people should be required to wear masks to reduce the spread of COVID-19 spread across the community, especially playing out on the Knox County Board of Education. Members and parents continue fighting over it today as a federal lawsuit over it continues through the courts.
The director of KCHD later stepped down from her role and regulatory powers of the Knox County Board of Health were removed by the Knox County Commission, even as the pandemic continued.
COVID-19 did not only become a central part of people's lives in media and in politics. Health leaders said 1,293 people died in Knox County because of COVID-19.
Their friends and families will continue to miss them and grieve their loss, as will the rest of the community.