Timeline: A Look at Key Coronavirus Pandemic Events and Milestones in California On March 19, 2020, the reality of the coronavirus pandemic set in when California issued an unprecedented stay-home order. By Jason Kandel Updated on March 19, 2021 at 6:36 am By Jason Kandel Updated on March 19, 2021 at 6:36 am The coronavirus pandemic for many Americans seemed all too real on an ominous date, Friday, March 13, 2020 when offices closed and workers, parents and students went home to quarantine. Nobody knew how long that would last, but here we are still in quarantine with a vaccine rolling out, but still no clarity on when the quarantine will end.