This week in March 2020, there were new cancelations and restrictions daily<\/p>\n
COVID-19 pandemic graphic. (Copyright 2026 by KSAT – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
Editor\u2019s note: This story is a look back at some of the biggest headlines of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. See a full timeline here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Six years ago, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, marking a significant shift in our daily lives.<\/p>\n While the extent and duration of these changes were unpredictable, it was evident that the situation was rapidly intensifying, with each day of the following weeks introducing new cancellations and restrictions.<\/p>\n The following timeline examines the significant transformations that took place in San Antonio in March 2020 as COVID-19 officially emerged as a crisis.<\/p>\n March 2, 2020<\/p>\n Mayor Ron Nirenberg and then-Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff\u00a0issued a local state of disaster<\/a>\u00a0and public health emergency for San Antonio and Bexar County. The declaration \u201cauthorizes the City to commandeer or use any private property, temporarily acquire, by lease or other means, sites required for temporary housing units or emergency shelters for evacuees, subject to compensation requirements.\u201dNorth Star Mall closed for 24 hours after a\u00a0woman who visited the mall tested positive<\/a>\u00a0for COVID-19. The woman, who was evacuated from Wuhan, China, in early February, met the criteria for release from JBSA-Lackland after testing negative twice, officials said. She had visited the mall two days before it temporarily closed.<\/p>\n March 3, 2020<\/p>\n March 5<\/p>\n Gov. Greg Abbott announced the state\u00a0had the ability to test\u00a0<\/a>for the virus at 10 public health labs throughout Texas that were part of the Centers for Disease Control\u2019s \u201cLaboratory Response Network.\u201d The labs were in Lubbock, Forth Worth, Dallas, Tyler, El Paso, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Harlingen.<\/p>\n March 6, 2020<\/p>\n March 9, 2020<\/p>\n March 10, 2020<\/p>\n Groups began postponing or canceling conventions in San Antonio over coronavirus\u00a0concerns<\/a>.<\/p>\n March 11, 2020<\/p>\n The San Antonio Spurs\u2019 2019-2020 season was cut short when the NBA decided to suspend the season until further notice.<\/p>\n The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was\u00a0canceled<\/a>\u00a0halfway through its scheduled run.Universities and colleges across San Antonio announced an\u00a0extension<\/a>\u00a0to spring break.CPS Energy\u00a0<\/a>announced it would suspend energy disconnections for customers.<\/p>\n March 12, 2020<\/p>\n San Antonio school districts began announcing extended closures due to growing COVID-19 concerns. The majority of San Antonio students did not return to school following spring break, which lasted March 9-13.<\/p>\n Several collegiate and professional sporting leagues\u00a0began canceling play<\/a>\u00a0in the wake of the outbreak.<\/p>\n March 13, 2020<\/p>\n San Antonio confirmed its first travel-related coronavirus case. The case was not related to any of the cruise ship evacuees at JBSA-Lackland who were infected with the virus.<\/p>\n Fiesta San Antonio announced<\/a>\u00a0that festivities scheduled for April would be postponed until November, though it was eventually canceled entirely.Abbott declared a\u00a0statewide<\/a>\u00a0emergency<\/a>\u00a0and announced that San Antonio would be the first city in the state to have a \u201cdrive-thru\u201d testing facility for COVID-19. <\/p>\n Churches also began to announce changes to services.<\/p>\n March 14, 2020<\/p>\n A Diamond Princess\u00a0cruise ship passenger<\/a>\u00a0at JBSA-Lackland became the first from that group of evacuees to test positive for COVID-19.<\/p>\n March 16, 2020<\/p>\n Nirenberg\u00a0updated an emergency declaration<\/a>\u00a0that prohibited public gatherings of more than 50 people in the city limits. The declaration also urged the public to avoid social gatherings of more than 10 people.Retailers and malls<\/a>\u00a0in San Antonio began closing or limiting hours.<\/p>\n The first COVID-19 death in Texas was reported in Matagorda County.<\/p>\n March 17, 2020<\/p>\n March 18, 2020<\/p>\n Bexar County officials announced many changes in protocols at the\u00a0jail<\/a>\u00a0to limit the potential for a community spread.Texans were allowed to\u00a0order<\/a>\u00a0alcohol<\/a>\u00a0with food deliveries.<\/p>\n March 19, 2020<\/p>\n March 21, 2020<\/p>\n VIA\u00a0launched<\/a>\u00a0a system-wide fare relief period for all VIA fixed-route bus service, VIAtrans trips and VIA Link on-demand services.<\/p>\n March 22, 2020<\/p>\n On face coverings,\u00a0Abbott said<\/a>, \u201cLocal officials have the authority to implement more strict standards than I as governor have implemented in the state of Texas,\u201d and allowed for fines or jail time or both for those in violation.<\/p>\n March 23, 2020<\/p>\n Nirenberg and Wolff directed non-essential businesses to close and directed residents to remain in their homes in the\u00a0\u201cStay Home, Work Safe\u201d emergency orders<\/a>. The order directed residents to shelter at home with the exception of crucial errands and job duties.<\/p>\n March 25, 2020<\/p>\n Trump issued a major disaster declaration\u00a0<\/a>for Texas, opening new federal funding resources to save lives, protect property, public health and safety, and lessen or avert the threat of COVID-19, a press release said.<\/p>\n March 27, 2020<\/p>\n Trump signed an\u00a0unprecedented<\/a>\u00a0$2.2 trillion economic rescue package into law.<\/p>\n March 31, 2020<\/p>\n An\u00a0SAPD officer<\/a>\u00a0was the first from the department to contract the virus.<\/p>\n Copyright 2025 by KSAT – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n About the AuthorsRebecca Salinas headshotRebecca Salinas<\/a><\/p>\n Rebecca Salinas is an Executive Producer at KSAT 12 News. A San Antonio native, Rebecca is an award-winning journalist who joined KSAT in 2019.<\/p>\n