Silicon Alleys: Face Time A year into the pandemic, the way people connect is different, but it's not all bad March 17, 2021 by Gary Singh CONNECTION RESTORED: Theaters and clubs around the state commemorated "One Year Dark" after a year of banned gatherings. In their place, the Internet has become a safe haven for people looking for community during the pandemic. Photo by Jennifer Wadsworth On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic and a few days later, Santa Clara County led the charge on the nation's first shelter-in-place orders, thrusting the region into the public eye even more than usual.