One year ago this weekend, the first ever pandemic-led 'lockdown' was hanging over the nation in what was a very unusual time for residents of south east London, and for the News Shopper newsroom.
Shelves were emptying, people were fleeing London, and single digit case numbers were causing panic.
Twelve months later, the virus is still very much with us, but looking back at the headlines gives an odd perspective to Covid-19.
In just two weeks of March, cases surged for the first time, communities rallied and lockdown loomed.
So we've taken a look at some of the nostalgic, alarming and foreshadowing stories from exactly a year ago.
Cases Rise
The first few coronavirus cases, including one well-documented case who arrived at Lewisham Hospital in an Uber, had mostly arrived in February. In March things quickly changed.
On March 13, the fifth coronavirus case in the borough of Lewisham was confirmed by Public Health England. The news came as the Prime Minister held a Cobra meeting, and forced Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust to restrict visiting numbers to hospitals.
It was then reported on March 16 that there were 38 cases recorded across south east London, now rising.
On March 18, government figures reported that there were now 74 cases across south east London (18 in Lewisham). This also coincided with the first two Covid-linked deaths reported in the region, both elderly patients at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and marked a sombre milestone for south east London.
By March 21, there were now 171 cases in the four main SE London boroughs, 1,588 in London, and 3,983 in the UK.
We all may be well-accustomed to increasing case numbers, and even cases in the thousands, but in March 2020 the news was alarming.
Cases continued to rise rapidly, although a lack of testing hid how quickly, and the news spawned a near daily update on case numbers for the next few months.
Supermarkets Left Bare
One change which affected us all, albeit for a short time, were the shortages, and supermarkets became a point of national focus in March and April 2020. Empty pasta shelves, soap shortages and fights over toilet paper filled headlines.
On March 18, a number of supermarkets had to introduce rationing measures, restricting the number of certain items per customer, after a barrage of empty shelves across south east London.
Sparking anger, NHS staff had to queue for over an hour outside a Tesco in Lewisham in one case, and early hour shopping for emergency workers was introduced at shops across the country.
Tensions grew as on March, a lack of supply, inadquate enforcement of new coronavirus and stockpiling policy and the sheer number of people flooding into shops left local residents "furious."
Greenwich MP Matthew Pennycook tweeted out after an "enormous crowd" had gathered in Woolwich and New Cross, telling people to "get a grip on the situation or police will assist."
I've visited a number of supermarkets across the constituency this morning and it's abundantly clear that the dedicated shopping hour for the elderly and the vulnerable is not working.
— Matthew Pennycook MP (@mtpennycook) March 20, 2020
Community Spirit
One of the most heartwarming things about the early days of the pandemic was the community response.
Tributes, gifts, discounts and thank yous flooded in for front-line workers at hospital in south east London, such as this Queen Elizabeth team pictured before they entered the 'Covid-19 isolation one', also in March 2020
Mutual aid groups cropped up in just days. One group of Bexley residents united (March 16) to help out elderly, vulnerable and shielding locals.
Thousands signed up to the group offering to walk dogs, pick up prescriptions and donate nappies at a time when just seven cases had been confirmed in the borough.
Councils also called for volunteers to help support vulnerable residents in that same week before lockdown started.
In another report (March 17), hundreds of people across Greenwich and Dartford also joined a volunteer service and mutual aid groups to "support the response to Covid-19"
Sweeping closures
The middle of March was when the reality of what Covid-19 meant for the nation finally dawned, which meant a long list of cancellations began filing in.
March 14: Mass gatherings and sports games to be banned
March 16: Goldsmiths University suspends teaching due to coronavirus
March 17: Visits to aged care homes in Greenwich restricted
March 17: Sidcup school forced into partial closure after teachers told to self-isolate in coronavirus precaution
March 17: TfL to run reduced 'Saturday-style' service during coronavirus outbreak
March 18: Schools to close across England to slow coronavirus spread
Other notable stories
March 2020 is certainly a moment in time which will live long in the memory, albeit not too fondly for most.
Here's a list of some other notable stories which make the headlines:
Lewisham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital restrict visitors to one adult only (March 12)
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust Hospital denies claims it was forced to turn away patients after surge in Coronavirus cases (March 20)
Overstretched nurses at Queen Elizabeth Hospital call on public to 'stay at home' (March 21)
TfL driver based in North Greenwich tests positive for coronavirus (March 16)
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