The beginning of 2020 saw the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus and the rise of COVID-19. This worldwide pandemic has changed our lives dramatically. We've been forced into quarantine, witnessed the spread of the disease around the globe, and experienced an economic downturn the likes of which we haven't seen since the Great Depression in the 1930s. We're still trying to adjust to the new normal - whatever that means. Even our vocabulary has changed. We're pinning our hopes on the development of a vaccine, but what if this is more like the medieval Black Death, the great pestilence that kept coming back?PANDEMIC is a collection of stories about people's experiences with COVID-19. Lives lost. Healthcare heroes on the front line. Careers cratered. Face masks. Social distancing. The role of the WHO and the CDC in government health policy. Lockdowns. Takeout food. Selfie haircuts. Closed borders. Long-term care facilities. School openings. Data science. The future of sports and entertainment. The importance of friends and family.