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5 graphs that show how the world suddenly changed when covid-19 hit

From carbon emissions to the share price of videoconferencing firm Zoom, these graphs tell the story of how the covid-19 pandemic changed everything

By Jacob Aron

6 January 2025

Graphs and data were vital to understanding the spread of the coronavirus
Daniel Leal-Olivas - WPA Pool/Getty Images

As the covid-19 pandemic took hold, the world was transfixed and transformed while we came to terms with just how vulnerable society is to a deadly virus. These five graphs highlight just some of these changes, and show how close things are to returning to “normal”.

Read more in our special report about the five years since covid-19

Topics: covid-19

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