A month ago, on January 20, the first known US case of COVID-19 appeared in King County, Washington, where I live. Yesterday, the virus began spreading. As a visual storyteller and photojournalist, I felt an urgent need to get out and photograph as much as possible. So, I decided to start a pandemic photojournal. Though I will be working on other projects and assignments, these particular images are not necessarily for any publication. They are one WOC photographer’s perspective during a time of pandemic.
Today, February 29, a King County man became the first to die from COVID-19 in the US. As case numbers grow in Washington State, shoppers are starting to panic-buy; hoarding toilet & tissue paper, sanitizer, disinfectant wipes & solutions, flour, sugar, and rice. Stores are selling out of these products across the state and emptied shelves are becoming a familiar site. When new stock comes in, customers line up to wait and buy everything instantaneously.
