Today marks two years since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the first coronavirus case in the United States.
The patient was a 35-year-old man from Washington state who had visited Wuhan, China.
January 22, 2020
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that the novel coronavirus can spread from human to human.
January 29, 2020
The White House established its Coronavirus Task Force, with Health and Human Services Secretary, Alex Azar, as head of the Task Force.
January 31, 2020
The Task Force declared SARS-CoV-2 a public health emergency.
New travel policies were announced the same day.
That meant flights originating from China had to be routed through one of eleven U.S. airports for enhanced security and health screenings.
People traveling from the Hubei province in China were subject to quarantine for two weeks.
The WHO also declared the coronavirus virus outbreak Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
February 11, 2020
WHO announced the official name for the disease: COVID-19.
It is an abbreviated version of “coronavirus disease 2019.”
February 29, 2020
The FDA allowed laboratories to create COVID-19 tests.
March 11, 2020
The WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic.
March 13, 2020
Former President Donald Trump declared a nationwide emergency.
March 15, 2020
States began shutdowns to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
March 17, 2020
Moderna began the first human trial of a COVID-19 vaccine at a research facility in Seattle.
April 3, 2020
The CDC made an official recommendation to start masks outside the home.
April 10, 2020
The U.S. became the global leader for reported COVID-19 deaths.
April 30, 2020
Operation Warp Speed was announced.
Its goal was to produce a coronavirus vaccine as quickly as possible, with guidance from the CDC.
December 11, 2020
The FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the first COVID-19 vaccine, developed by Pfizer.
December 14, 2020
A nurse in New York, Sandra Lindsay, became the first American outside a clinical trial to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
December 18, 2020
Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine received emergency use authorization from the FDA.
February 27, 2021
Johnson and Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine received emergency use authorization from the FDA.
August 30, 2021
A CDC committee recommended Pfizer’s vaccine for people ages 16 years and older.
October 21, 2021
The CDC recommended booster shots for older adults, as well as younger adults who have underlying medical conditions or work in high-risk settings.
November 2, 2021
The CDC endorsed the Pfizer vaccine for children between five and eleven years old.
November 29, 2021
The CDC recommended the booster shot for people over 18 years of age who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least six months prior.
Today, the U.S. is still averaging more than 730,000 daily COVID-19 cases.
Health experts warn that the country has yet to reach its peak in the latest COVID-19 surge, and could be faced with difficult weeks ahead.