Brief Timeline of COVID-19

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. The World Health Organization identified COVID-19 as a new virus on December 31, 2019, following a report of a cluster of cases of 'viral pneumonia' in Wuhan, People's Republic of China.

  • President Donald Trump signed the Proclamation on Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak on March 1, 2020.
  • The COVID-19 outbreak is officially declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, by the World Health Organization.
  • Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued Executive Order 20-01 (PDF) declared a Peacetime Emergency to Protect Minnesotans from COVID-19 on March 13, 2020.
  • On March 19, 2020, an Emergency Meeting was convened by the Winona County Board of Commissioners to request a resolution Declaring a State of Local Emergency in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Resolution was passed on March 19, 2020.
  • On March 25, 2020, Winona County was notified about the first active case of COVID-19 in the community.
  • On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act is signed into law.
  • On April 8, 2020, Governor Walz extended Minnesota's Stay at Home order until May 4th.
  • By the end of April 2020, the United States has 1.04 million confirmed COVID-19 cases.
  • May 27, 2020: The number of US deaths from COVID-19 tops 100,000.
  • On August 8, 2020, the US passed 5 million COVID-19 cases.
  • The US passed 10 million COVID-19 cases on November 9, 2020.
  • The PfizerBioNTech two-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is granted Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA on December 11, 2020.
  • The Moderna two-dose mRNA COVID-19 is granted Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA on December 18, 2020.
  • On December 28, 2020, the first 30 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine administered by Winona County Public Health are administered to area emergency responders. 
  • The 20 million case mark was hit on January 1, 2021, in the US. It took 292 days to reach 10 million cases and only 54 days to reach 20 million.
  • The first Alpha variant case in the United States is confirmed on January 4, 2021.
  • The first Alpha variant case in Minnesota is confirmed on January 9, 2021.
  • The first Gamma variant case in the United States is reported in Minnesota on January 25, 2021.
  • The Johnson and Johnson one-dose viral vector COVID-19 vaccine is granted Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA on February 28, 2021.
  • On March 24, 2021, the US surpasses 30 million cases.
  •     On May 10, 2021, the FDA extended the Emergency Use Authorization for the PfizerBioNtech vaccine to those ages 12 and up.
  • By July 7, 2021, the Delta variant has become the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the US.
  • The CDC adds a recommendation for all people, including those who are fully vaccinated, to wear a mask in indoor public spaces in light of the Delta variant in the US on July 27, 2021.
  • The FDA authorized an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine for immunocompromised people on August 12, 2021.
  • The FDA gives full approval of the Pfizer vaccine on August 23, 2021, making it the first vaccine fully authorized, not under EUA. 
  • On October 20, 2021, the ACIP recommends the booster dose of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to be administered 6 or more months after the second dose for certain populations. The Johnson & Johnson booster is recommended 2 or more months after the first dose.
  •  The Pfizer vaccine for 5-11-year-old children is authorized by the FDA under emergency use authorization on October 29, 2021, and the Advisory Council on Immunization Practices recommended the vaccine on November 2, 2021. 
  • In Mid-November, Omicron variant is identified in South Africa.
  • Winona County surpasses 7,000 COVID-19 cases on Thanksgiving Day, November 25.
  • November 29 CDC recommends booster shots for all individuals 18 years of age and older.
  • Announcement from MN Department of Health that the first case of the Omicron variant is identified in Minnesota on December 2.