The COVID-19 pandemic has altered many aspects of our lives, disrupting everything from our daily commute to the global economy. In the early days of the pandemic in particular, millions of people were urged to stay home to curb the spread of the disease. With such a dramatic change in human activity, what changes did we see in the environment?
![This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion, when viewed electron microscopically. A novel coronavirus, named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China in 2019. The illness (Image credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/CDC.gov) This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion, when viewed electron microscopically. A novel coronavirus, named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China in 2019. The illness](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_width_1275/public/legacy/image/2020/Mar/2871_lores.jpg?itok=BuUKGyBx)
This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion, when viewed electron microscopically. A novel coronavirus, named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China in 2019. The illness caused by this virus has been named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). For official, up-to-date information about the virus and how to prevent its spread, please visit the CDC's website, www.cdc.gov (Image credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/CDC.gov)