While milestone events like senior balls and proms were canceled, commencement ceremonies were given the green light. Held outdoors ― on high school, collegiate and professional sports fields ― the Class of 2020 sat in folding chairs strategically placed on the turf.

Five years ago on Tuesday, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, and the impact of the virus and policies that followed are still being felt to this day. The germ didn’t have a name,