Coronavirus has now infected more than one million people worldwide, but its impact extends far beyond just those who have had it.
Even the frequency of use of the word “unprecedented” is unprecedented at the moment. According to Google Trends it’s been used three times more over the last two weeks than the highest point recorded previously.
As governments around the world have enacted new measures and given official advice, we take a look at the impact that it’s had on people and the world around them.
How the world shut down
The approaches to dealing with coronavirus across the world have been wide-ranging to say the least.
In Colombia the days that you’re allowed to leave the house depend on the number of your national ID card; in Serbia a designated dog-walking hour was introduced; and in Belarus the president has gone against medical advice, recommending vodka and saunas as a way to stay safe.
Some of the more common approaches have seen governments issue recommendations on social distancing for part or all of the country, while others have acted to restrict all non-essential internal movement. The latter is often called a lockdown.
When the virus was first identified in China in late 2019, lockdown seemed extreme.
