Video Story: My Quick Visit to Europe During the COVID-19 Outbreak

On March 8, 2020, I departed San Francisco to Madrid to work on a project that had been scheduled many months in advance. I knew there was an elevated risk due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, but I was committed to taking precautions and anyhow, in Spain, the outbreak appeared to be minor.

I was wrong.

The week I left was the turning point for many European countries. I only stayed two days in Madrid and the day I left, the country began to roll out aggressive containment measures.

Next, I was on my way to Ireland to visit my father. My plan was to only stay there for three days. As I departed Dublin Airport on March 15, Ireland began to impose their own restrictions.

I was constantly just a few hours ahead of the major restrictions being put in place by each country.

When I arrived back in San Francisco, I immediately went into voluntary quarantine in my home. That night San Francisco and the Bay Area announced dramatic lock-down measures. We would be isolated in our homes until at least April 7, 2020.

I’ve captured my journey in and out of Europe through 21 short videos.

Thank you for watching. I hope this video story captures a unique perspective on this historic world event and is an educational tool for the future.