PANDEMIC
The first wave of the coronavirus pandemic brought most of the world to a screeching halt, but not epa’s photographers and editors. As governments around the world imposed lockdowns on its populations, confining them to their homes, controlling people’s movements and shutting down businesses and cultural life, our global network of professionals bravely took to the streets to bring the world competitive, engaging and hard-hitting journalism. As the nature of the virus became apparent, first in China but soon in Europe and the Americas, curfews and lockdowns were imposed, while the number of infections and deaths continued to spiral out of control. In just three months since the virus was first detected, the global caseload had passed 1 million and more than 51,000 people had died. By mid-June, more than 8 million cases and 437,000 deaths had been confirmed. Thousands upon thousands of high quality images and videos have been generated in the approximately six months since the Covid-19 disease first surfaced in Wuhan, China, at the very end of 2019. With no vaccine in sight, and having spread around the globe, the pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Here, epa has gathered some of our most compelling and striking material to serve as a legacy of one of the most unnerving, surreal and historic experiences any of us have lived through.
While the crisis has wreaked havoc and devastated communities around the world, several community initiatives have stepped up to help those who are most vulnerable to the damaging socio-economic impact of Covid-19 and keep neighborhood spirits up.
One of the most surreal and unnerving aspects of the pandemic and related lockdowns was the sight of normally heaving metropolises become eerily deserted, almost overnight, as entire populations were either strongly urged or forced to remain confined at home.
For many who lost their lives to the disease, as well as those who died of unrelated causes, the widespread bans on any gatherings meant that thousands of people died alone, without any of their relatives by their side.
As human beings hid behind closed doors, emptying our towns, nature was quick to reassert itself and make its mark on our deserted urban spaces.
epa’s photographers were among the few people actually authorized to leave their homes during the height of quarantines to document the strange new on us realities that were imposed. In this series, they bring a unique and surreal view of our cities, normally bustling with activity, that have been shut down to resemble deserted ghost towns.
by CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON
Medical workers in Intensive Care Units have been thrust into the spotlight throughout the pandemic, as the potentially devastating effects of Covid-19 on patients saw these specialist wards filled and stretched to breaking point as infection rates continued to spiral.
by MARTIN DIVISEK
The Czech Republic’s world-famous beer industry has for centuries been one of the country’s major cultural attractions, an industry that flourished through two world wars, occupation by an invading army as well as decades of communism, all while barely losing a drop in sales. But all that has changed with the Covid-19 pandemic, which has severely dented Czech beer profits as restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the deadly disease, including the closure of bars and restaurants, have taken a heavy toll, brewers say.
by NEIL HALL
Due to coronavirus restrictions, the Cineworld and Picturehouse cinema chains have closed indefinitely whilst Vue cinemas have cut back screenings. Major films such as the latest James Bond and Death on the Nile have been rescheduled and Disney showed its latest release Mulan on its streaming service which has caused concern for the cinema industry trying to bounce back with Covid restrictions.
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