This book presents a comprehensive account of the COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the novel coronavirus pandemic, as it happened. This volume examines the first responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, the contexts of earlier epidemics and the epidemiological basics of infectious diseases. Further, it discusses patterns in the spread of the disease; the management and containment of infections at the personal, national, and global level; effects on trade and commerce; the social and psychological impact on people; the disruption and postponement of international events; the role of various international organizations like the WHO in the search for solutions; and the race for a vaccine or a cure.