SEATTLE — The once car-filled, bustling streets of downtown Seattle have turned eerily quiet and empty since the start of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Downtown Seattle Association released a new drone video showing what has become the new “normal” for the downtown area as residents stay home and practice social distancing to help flatten the curve and slow the spread of COVID-19.
“The heart of our city is quiet. But the heart of Seattle beats strong,” a message reads at the start of the video.
But the video shows more than empty streets. It also shows messages of hope posted on shuttered storefronts. “With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts” and “see you soon” were written outside one business.
As the video shows empty Seattle landmarks like the waterfront, the Space Needle and Pike Place Market, it also reminds us of why they’re empty: “This is how we defeat the virus. This is how we flatten the curve… This is how we get our city back.”
The video ends with the message, “and the comeback will be spectacular. #WeGotThisSeattle.”