Buzz
One of the most intriguing consequences of the Chinese coronavirus, COVID-19, when it comes to visual depictions, is not so much what is visible, but what is absent. As people stay confined to their homes, the world has become eerily quiet and deserted.
As the pandemic continues to spread globally, haunting images are surfacing online showing vacant spaces that typically host thousands daily. In cities unprepared for the surge of casualties, bodies are accumulating, while the world watches online. These ten images highlight COVID-19's devastating effect on the planet.
10. The Great Mosque and Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Even if you aren’t a member of the Islamic faith, it's likely you've heard of the Great Mosque and Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. This revered location is central to the Hajj, a pilgrimage that every Muslim is required to make at least once in their lifetime, if they are able. The site can host up to five million people during Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. In 2020, Dhu al-Hijjah falls between July 22nd and August 19th, and should the world regain some form of normalcy, millions are expected to visit the holy site.
The photo was taken on March 5th, which may not hold special significance on the Islamic calendar. However, the Great Mosque normally attracts thousands of worshippers every day. The reason for its emptiness was a government-mandated cleaning and sanitization to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The mosque reopened the following day, but visitor numbers remained significantly lower than usual, in part due to the Kingdom's ban on foreign visitors, which took effect on February 27th.
9. Beirut’s Corniche Promenade in Lebanon
The Corniche Promenade in Beirut is one of the city’s most iconic tourist spots. This picturesque seaside path, framed by palm trees and offering stunning views of the sea, is a favorite among both visitors and locals year-round. Typically, it's a lively area, with everything from leisurely walks to dining at local restaurants. However, during March and April, the Corniche Promenade became eerily quiet, a ghost town affected by the ongoing pandemic.
This image captured by Mohamed Azakir reveals the normally bustling Corniche Promenade, now eerily quiet and completely free of human presence. Absent are the joggers, walkers, street performers, well-known pushcart vendors, and the usual crowd who would typically fill the promenade on a beautiful day. This rare scene is the result of a government-imposed curfew, forcing many people to remain locked down in their homes. Such images are becoming more common around the globe as the COVID-19 pandemic intensifies, with this being just one of many similar visuals circulating on the Internet.
8. Social Distancing in Colombo, Sri Lanka
While 2020 may be remembered in history for the global pandemic that swept across the world, many will likely recall it with one phrase: social distancing. This term, once unfamiliar to most, became an essential part of daily life as COVID-19 rapidly spread across populations. In societies where close contact, handshakes, or even cheek kisses were the norm, social distancing became a necessity, with people now keeping as much distance from one another as possible.
This photograph was taken by Dinuka Liyanawatte outside a grocery store in Colombo, Sri Lanka. In the image, individuals can be seen wearing masks and standing about one meter apart. While the World Health Organization and most governments recommend a distance of at least two meters, many people still find themselves in close proximity due to the difficulty of maintaining that distance, particularly in urgent situations like this. Sri Lanka had placed a curfew on its citizens before this photo was taken but briefly relaxed the restrictions after a temporary decrease in new cases.
7. Mobile Morgues in Refrigerated Trucks Holding Bodies in New York City
One image that many would prefer to forget when looking back at this crisis in the future is one that captures the devastating toll the virus has taken on human lives. Some of the cities most impacted by COVID-19 quickly discovered that the shortage wasn’t just in hospital beds for the sick; morgues, coroners, and morticians also found themselves overwhelmed. Amidst the scramble for ventilators and treatment spaces, no one expected the need for mass storage of the deceased. Thankfully, there were some who had planned for this tragic eventuality, and this photograph captures that grim reality.
This image, taken by John Minchillo, shows bodies being placed into refrigerated trucks outside a New York City hospital. New York City was among the hardest-hit American cities during the initial days of the pandemic, and its hospitals quickly became overwhelmed. One critical service that was stretched to its limits was the ability to store the deceased. Brooklyn hospitals, like many others, resorted to using refrigerated trucks, and by April 8th, over 4,000 people had died in the city alone.
6. Quarantined Italians Singing Together From Their Balconies
After China implemented strict quarantine measures in Wuhan and surrounding areas, the reported numbers of cases and deaths began to decrease. However, as China's situation improved, the virus spread rapidly in countries like Italy, which became one of the hardest-hit nations outside China throughout March. As social distancing took hold in Italy, citizens found themselves confined to their homes, filled with uncertainty and concern about what was unfolding in hospitals and in the streets outside.
To combat the feelings of isolation and anxiety, Italians across the country turned to their balconies and began making music together. These impromptu musical gatherings spread throughout Italy, with people singing in unity. On March 13th, Italians joined together from their balconies to sing the national anthem, 'Inno di Mameli,' symbolizing solidarity during the crisis. This photo by Mairo Cinquetti captures a woman singing from her balcony, and thousands of similar photos and videos can be found online showing people singing with and to one another.
5. Dr. Li Wenliang’s Selfie From His Hospital Bed Shortly Before Succumbing to COVID-19
COVID-19 has impacted millions globally, but the most vulnerable group isn't necessarily the elderly or those with weakened immune systems. It's the healthcare workers on the frontlines battling the virus day in and day out. Across the world, doctors, nurses, and other medical staff spend exhausting hours attending to the sick and dying, often with minimal or no personal protective equipment to shield them. One of the first to fall victim to the virus, though not the first, and sadly, not the last, was Dr. Li Wenliang of Wuhan, China.
Dr. Li was the courageous whistleblower who raised the first alarms about a virus resembling SARS. For his actions, he was reprimanded by the Communist Party of China for spreading 'false information online.' After contracting the virus he had been working tirelessly to combat, Dr. Li took this poignant photo from his hospital bed. He passed away on February 7th, and the image went viral across the globe. Following his death, the Communist Party of China issued a 'solemn apology' for their treatment of Dr. Li, though by then the virus had already spread far beyond China's borders.
4. Russian Cargo Plane Filled With Supplies Lands In The USA
As the U.S. government began to fully comprehend the gravity of COVID-19, it quickly became apparent that protective equipment and ventilators would be in extremely short supply. Reports surfaced of government stockpiles filled with thousands of outdated ventilators, and officials began urging the limited distribution of personal protective equipment to only those showing symptoms. Governors found themselves competing for essential supplies, and some healthcare workers had to reuse masks for days on end due to the shortage.
While supplies were a critical issue, some countries that weren't initially as impacted by the pandemic as the United States stepped up to offer assistance. Russia sent a plane filled with medical supplies to the U.S., which led to this powerful image that circulated online for weeks. The delivery followed a personal phone call between the two countries' leaders. President Putin made this gesture with the hope that, should the U.S. experience a decline in cases while Russia faces a surge, the U.S. would 'reciprocate if needed.'
3. USNS Comfort And The Statue Of Liberty
As COVID-19 reached the United States, one of the immediate challenges that surfaced was the overwhelming shortage of hospital beds. Hospitals, after all, are designed for routine care, not to handle a global health crisis. Under normal circumstances, they function smoothly, but the pandemic turned cities like New York and Los Angeles into epicenters for COVID-19, leaving hospitals unable to accommodate the flood of patients. This shortage caused two major issues: there weren't enough beds for COVID-19 patients, and there were insufficient beds for non-COVID patients as well.
For those requiring treatments such as surgeries and chemotherapy, the lack of hospital capacity became a serious obstacle. To alleviate the pressure, the U.S. Navy deployed two hospital ships, the USNS Comfort to New York City and the USNS Mercy to Los Angeles. These vessels were initially intended to treat non-COVID patients and provide 1,000 additional beds. However, once they arrived, the USNS Comfort began accepting COVID-19 patients as well, further highlighting the ongoing healthcare crisis.
Images like the one showing the Statue of Liberty in the foreground with the USNS Comfort approaching the port quickly spread across the Internet. The arrival of the ship symbolized not only a practical solution to the health crisis but also a message of solidarity and hope for the future.
2. Healthcare Workers’ Faces After Working With COVID-19 Patients For Days
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the term 'N95' was likely unfamiliar to many people outside the healthcare sector. These specialized masks, designed to block out airborne pathogens like the virus, quickly became indispensable for healthcare workers worldwide. However, as the pandemic progressed, they became increasingly difficult to obtain. As a result, doctors and nurses found themselves reusing these masks for far longer than intended, with the risk of exposure growing each day.
While the N95 masks were essential in protecting healthcare workers, their design, which ensures a tight fit around the face, made them uncomfortable to wear for prolonged periods. During March, social media was flooded with photos of healthcare workers showing the physical toll these masks took on their faces. Bruises around the eyes and mouth became widespread as medical professionals worked for extended shifts—often lasting 12, 18, or even 24 hours—on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19. These images were a poignant reminder of the exhaustion and sacrifice endured by those caring for the sick.
1. Homeless In Las Vegas Sleeping In Social Distancing Grids
In a global pandemic where governments urge citizens to stay at home, it quickly became evident that a significant portion of the population couldn’t adhere to these directives. The homeless, already at heightened risk of contracting diseases, faced even greater dangers due to their living conditions. It's not just the fact that they sleep outdoors; their proximity to others—whether on the streets or in shelters—puts them at an even higher risk of COVID-19 transmission. This close contact makes it far easier for the virus to spread, both among the homeless and to the general population.
One of the biggest concerns with COVID-19 is the rapid rate at which the virus spreads, especially in crowded environments. In cities like Las Vegas, the situation became a focal point for international attention. As shelters shut their doors to prevent further spread, hundreds of people were left without a place to go. To mitigate the situation, the city marked off individual squares on the upper parking lot of the Cashman Center for homeless individuals to sleep. However, the social media backlash was swift as observers pointed out that the grids were too close together to allow for proper social distancing, effectively making the solution part of the problem and spreading across the internet.
+ Toilet Paper
As the COVID-19 pandemic intensified, a strange phenomenon took place around the world: panic buying. Even in countries that hadn’t yet reported a single case, people surged into stores—not for staple items like rice or canned goods—but for toilet paper. The demand for toilet paper skyrocketed to such an extent that it became the symbol of March 2020. Shoppers could be seen queuing up for a single pack of rolls, reminiscent of the long lines people once waited in for gasoline during the OPEC Oil Embargo.
For several weeks, finding a single roll of toilet paper was nearly impossible. This image, taken at my local Neighborhood Walmart Market, became a common sight across social media and news outlets. Store shelves that once held paper products were left barren. While some found this situation problematic, businesses selling bidets saw a significant boost in sales as more people began to realize that without toilet paper, they might soon be in need of an alternative.
