Photos that will define the era of social distancing

Chances are you’ve been glued to the news lately, or at least checking it a few times a day. If that’s the case, you’re being inundated with words, reports and statistics, which can be terrifying and downright exhausting. Well, it’s like the old saying: A picture is worth a thousand words. Here are some photos from all around the world that really encapsulate the strange, isolating time we’re all living through.

On March 31, 2020, caution tape blocks off this closed Hollywood, Florida beach. This visitor from Minnesota has set up her beach chair on the beach’s walkway, just outside the tape.

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This photo was taken after the White House’s daily coronavirus briefing on March 30. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, exchanges an “elbow bump” with Jim Acosta of CNN. What started as a somewhat facetious way to avoid shaking hands evolved into a legitimate safety-conscious greeting.

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In Madrid, Spain, a man confined to his home applauds for healthcare workers as the colours of the Spanish flag hang from his and nearby balconies.

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The usually bustling National Mall in front of the Washington Monument is deserted except for a single jogger on the morning of March 31.

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Paris’ Eiffel Tower, the icon of France, displays the words “AT HOME” for the more than two million Parisians. Throughout this period of distancing, the lights of the tower have shown this message as well as one thanking essential workers.

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A member of the US National Guard maintains social distance as he informs people when to expect results of their COVID-19 tests. The testing centre where this photo was taken, at Lehman College in the Bronx, New York, can test as many as 500 people a day.

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In Canberra, Australia on March 23, Parliament resumes with Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the despatch box. Restrictions on the numbers of people in attendance are in place so that social distancing can be observed.

Another normally bustling place is downright ghostly in this April 1 photo of the Central Business District in Singapore, deserted except for a single man with a mask.

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New York’s Grand Central Station, a place that usually epitomises bustle and business, is nearly deserted on March 22.

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