COVID-19 is considered to have started in late 2019, with the outbreak recognized in December 2019 and declared a global pandemic in March 2020. As of March 2026, that’s a little over six years since the first known cluster and about six years since the pandemic declaration.

When did COVID “start”?

Most public health timelines mark three key moments:

  • First reported cluster of unexplained pneumonia in Wuhan, China: December 2019.
  • WHO declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern: January 30, 2020.
  • WHO declaration of a global pandemic: March 11, 2020.

So depending on what you mean by “start,” people usually say either:

  • Late 2019 (when the outbreak began), or
  • March 2020 (when it officially became a pandemic).

How long ago is that from now (March 2026)?

  • From December 2019 to March 2026: a bit over 6 years.
  • From March 11, 2020 (pandemic declaration) to March 2026: 6 years.

Many news outlets in March 2026 are marking the “six-year anniversary” of the WHO pandemic declaration.

Quick trending/context notes

  • The WHO declared the COVID-19 global public health emergency over in May 2023, though the virus still circulates and causes illness.
  • Discussions online now tend to focus on long COVID, how societies have adjusted post-emergency, and periodic waves tied to new variants or seasonal surges.

In short: COVID started in late 2019 and became a worldwide pandemic in March 2020, which was about six years ago as of early 2026.

Bottom note : Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.