The day we all fear came with a phone call—my life partner’s mother was in the hospital with a fever and COVID-19 was feared. She was distraught. I was, too. We feared the worst. We also had to be tested ourselves. I called my dad to tell him. He had learned within the hour that my brother-in-law was headed to the doctor also with a fever. Within one day, half a dozen family members were in those worried lines to get COVID-19 tests.

That day I was also facing off with opposing counsel in a discovery-heavy case, and they wanted to do in-person depositions. Our legal team was worried. One of our clients had already tested positive, both the lawyers and our clients had (and often lived with) at-risk family members who were sheltering in place. We looked at the data on where our clients lived, and we looked at Georgia’s ever-spiraling numbers. It was as bad as bad can be.