COVID-19 in pictures

Listen to this article

In two short weeks, the new coronavirus has changed the way Americans and people around the world live, work and communicate. 

We're self-quarantining and social distancing, staying in our homes as much as we can as all around us, businesses are forced to change how they serve their customers. Folks can no longer dine at their favorite restaurants or share a cold one with friends at the neighborhood bar. Some cities have enacted even stricter measures than those set forth in the governor's executive order, though questions have arisen about their authority to do that. 

It's a confusing time, to be sure. The toll of the new coronavirus grows each day, with additional cases and, sadly, lives lost announced each time you check your email or your phone. As of Friday, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 539 cases of COVID-19 in 39 counties.

The front line workers in health care and other industries are risking everything to keep this virus contained, while others, such as truck drivers and grocery workers, are doing their best to keep supply chains running and households filled with necessities.

In the confusion, however, is hope. People are rallying around local establishments, supporting their new business model with money and social media shares. Families are bicycling together down sunny streets while neighbors wave from porches. Children draw with chalk on sidewalks, perhaps inspired by local social media sites offering online art lessons. 

Here's a look in pictures at how life is changing, and going on, in Columbia amid COVID-19 concerns.