Photos: The effects of COVID-19 in Amherst County
School closures. Face makes. Vaccination clinics. Drive-through lines. Social distancing. Zoom meetings. Outdoor gatherings.
In so many ways, Amherst County residents can recall the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. From March 2020, when closures and a shutdown took effect to stop the spread of COVID-19, the pandemic touched virtually every aspect of life and effects still are being felt today.
Each of art teacher Jennifer Fitzgerald's student gets a double high five greeting before the virtual class starts on Feb. 5.
In this March 2020 file photo, Louis Goldman, a lieutenant in the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office, directs a vehicle during a distribution of learning materials event at Amherst County High School when the state ordered a shutdown from the outbreak of COVID-19.
Stevie Bryant, Amherst County Public Safety's captain of fire and EMS, wears a face mask while out on calls because of COVID-19, along with other department staff.
Assistant softball coach Drew Ware, center, chats with players and family members prior to the start of the May 12 parade to honor Amherst County High School's senior softball players. The event, like many social gatherings in the past nine months, included participants wearing face masks to reduce the risk of COVID-19.
Front office furniture at Amherst County High School were in the hallway on June 3 while the office undergoes an upgrade. The usually bustling hallway was much quieter from mid-March through the end of May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic closing schools.
Amherst County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent William Wells shows school administrators at Central Elementary School the COVID-19 precautionary signs that will be put on the main doors to the school in Amherst, Virginia on Tuesday, August 4, 2020.
Amherst County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent William Wells (upper right) and Director of Academics Dana Norman (bottom right) walk through Central Elementary School with school administrators see how classrooms are set up for students to return amid the COVID-19 pandemic on Aug. 4.
In this August 2020 photo, Amherst County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent William Wells adheres a COVID-19 precaution sign to the front door of Amherst Elementary School.
Amherst business and school leaders pose for a "do your part so they can start' photo pushing a campaign for encouraging safety during the COVID-19 pandemic as a new school year is set to begin Sept. 9.
Gloria Witt, right, kept her face mask on while addressing the Amherst County Board it Supervisors Tuesday, urging county officials not to pass a First Amendment resolution opposed to Gov. Ralph Northam’s COVID-19 restrictions she feels are needed. “I prefer a mask,” Witt told the board. “I have a right to be healthy.”
The Amherst Lancers junior varsity basketball team stretches on Monday while preparing to play Liberty Christian Academy at home on Thursday, Jan. 7, the slated return of sports at Amherst County high School since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Barbara Pryor, right, holds a sign in support of Virginia's COVID-19 restrictions outside the Amherst County administration building Tuesday afternoon.
A small group of local residents supporting Virginia's COVID-19 restrictions hold signs outside the Amherst County administration building Tuesday.
Amherst County High School Principal Derrick Brown finds a bird's eye view spot to video a Lancers basketball game in January. The Seminole District did not allow outside spectators to winter sports because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Just outside the Amherst County Board of Supervisors' meeting room Tuesday night, a county resident stands in front of a sign with a snake and the phrase "Don't tread on me" as part of a group presenting their views that the state's COVID-19 mandates violate the First Amendment.
A group of Amherst County residents hold signs asking the county's board of supervisors not to take formal action opposing state mandates aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 shortly before the board's meeting Tuesday in Amherst.
Paramedic Kristin Welch prepares a COVID-19 vaccination at Amherst County High School on Feb. 5.
People wait for 15 minutes after receiving their COVID-19 vaccination at Amherst County High School on Friday, Feb. 5, 2021.
Registered nurse Megan Crawford prepares a COVID-19 vaccination to be administered at Amherst County High School on Feb. 5.
Kevin Harrison waits to receive his COVID-19 vaccination at Amherst County High School on Friday, Feb. 5, 2021.
Registered nurse Megan Crawford administers a COVID-19 vaccination to her husband Joey Crawford at Amherst High School on Friday, Feb. 5, 2021.
Michelle Tweedy receives a COVID-19 vaccination from registered nurse Shannon Cox at Amherst County High School in Amherst County, Va. on Friday, Feb. 5, 2021.
Anne Marie Hughs, a junior at Amherst County High School, waits to receive the first dose of a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the school on Friday, April 30, 2021.
Jessica Taylor, a sophomore at Amherst County High School, receives the first dose of a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the school on April 30.
Matthew Brown, a junior at Amherst County High School, receives the first dose of a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the school on Friday.
Amherst County Public Safety captain Steve Bryant and firefighter/EMT Kevin Ervin prepare Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines at Amherst County High School on April 30.
Jessica Taylor, a sophomore at Amherst County High School, receives the first dose of a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from paramedic Kristin Welch at the school.
Stations are set up inside the Amherst County High School gymnasium to administer COVID-19 vaccines to students over the age of 16 on Friday, April 30, 2021.
Amya Hankton, a junior at Amherst County High School, waits for 15 minutes in the auxiliary gymnasium after receiving her first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine April 30.
In this April 2021 file photo, Amherst County Public Safety Captain Steve Bryant prepares a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Amherst County High School.
Anne Marie Hughs, a junior at Amherst County High School, receives the first dose of a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the school on April 30.
Evan Busse, an Elon Elementary School student, is reflected in the window of the car that he is painting a message prior to the start of the parade on March 26, 2020.
Elon Elementary School students and parents line the parade route in March 2020 to wave at their teachers. Elon educators drove a route lasting roughly an hour to interact with students from a distance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A parade of teachers cheering up students from their vehicles drew plenty of smiles, waves and signs in the Elon community in late March 2020.
Vehicles follow the star into the town of Amherst for the December 2020 Christmas parade which was a drive-through “reverse” event because of the pandemic.
Amherst County Sheriff E.W. Viar, left, helps prepare meals for seniors during a drive-through service event at the Madison Heights Community Center on Nov. 16, 2020.
Judy Dugan, cafeteria manager at Amherst County High School, shows a bagged meal distributed to students for pickup in March 2020 during school closures due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Mary Ann Jobe, assistant cafeteria manager at Amherst County High School, gets a bagged meal for a student on March 18.
Savannah Tysver rides in the back seat of a pickup truck with her dog during the May 2020 graduation ceremony at Amherst County High School.
Senior Carl Hayden sits in a vehicle during a graduation ceremony at Amherst County High School in Amherst County on Saturday, May 23, 2020.
Vehicles line up for a parade during a graduation ceremony at Amherst County High School in Amherst County on Saturday, May 23, 2020.
Zamire Andrews, senior class president, speaks during a graduation ceremony at Amherst County High School in Amherst County on May 23, 2020.
Cars line up for a parade during a graduation ceremony at Amherst County High School in Amherst County on Saturday, May 23, 2020.
Fulton Fitzgerald listens to speeches from his classmates during the Amherst County High School graduation ceremony at Williams Stadium in May 2021. The ceremony was held outdoors for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cara McDaniel directs a Monelison Middle School sixth-grader during the first week of the 2020-21 school year.
Angela Pinn, while serving as dean of students at Monelison Middle School in the 2020-21 school year, greets students with a pom pom during the first week of school.
A sign at Monelison Middle School greeted students during the Sept. 9 return to school after a six-month break from physical attendance in the school buildings because of the pandemic.
Monelison Middle School has social distancing signs throughout the school alerting students where they need to go during the 2020-21 school year.
Monelison Middle School dean of students Angela Pinn got a chance to walk her son Trey Alexander to his class during the first week of school in September.
Monelison Middle School sixth grade life science teacher Kristy Tyree wore a science-themed face mask to greet the sixth grade class at the start of the 2020-21 school year.
Sunnie Stonelake holds two signs protesting face masks in schools during the Amherst County School Board’s Feb. 10 meeting.
A sign at the front entrance of Amherst County High School states face masks are required before entry. The county’s school board voted to make the face coverings optional effective Feb. 22.
Quinlan Stonelake holds a sign while observing the Amherst County School Board’s Feb. 10 meeting where face masks were discussed.
Aaron Tomlin, rights, speaks to the Amherst County School Board on Jan. 27 about his views on the face mask issue. Board chair, Abby Thompson, center, and Vice Chair Chris Terry, left, listen.
Amherst County School Board members Ginger Burg (left) and John Grieser (right) listen to a speaker address the board on face masks during a special called meeting Thursday.
The Amherst County School Board listens to residents give feedback on face coverings during a special called meeting Thursday, Jan. 27.
In this January 2022 photo, players not on the court had to wear face masks on the sidelines. Spectators and recreation department staff also wore masks.
A sign at Sweet Briar College in Amherst urges the public to wear face masks.
A face mask is on the sideline of Lancer Stadium on Feb. 25, 2021, for the season opener against Rustburg. Amherst County High School football players who were not in the game have marked sports on the sidelines for social distancing.
Wintergreen Rescue Squad paramedic Shane Wheeler holds a face mask used for responding to calls.
Amherst County High School students, wearing face masks, take part in a Spirit Week festivity the week of Nov. 16 to Nov. 20.
ACHS drama class students under the direction of Patricia Emmert rehearse for a production of ‘Lion King, Jr.’ on the outdoor set in May 2021.
Kallena Branham (Nala) and Logan Scruggs (Simba ) rehearse on the outdoor set in Amherst County High School's front parking lot in May 2021.
Amherst County High School students converge on the Banker Aviation hangar in Lynchburg for a fun night at prom in April 2022.
Amherst County High School students enter the Banker Aviation hangar for prom on April 30, 2022. It was the first prom held for the high school since the pandemic.
Lesley McPhatter, an organizer of the Amherst County High School prom, holds a printout of a couple's photos. Parents organized the April 2022 event with COVID-19 playing a large part in it not being a school-hosted event.
Banker Aviation’s hangar was home to the Amherst County High School prom on April 30, 2022. Many Lynchburg-area businesses pitched in to help parents put on the prom that year.
A sign thanks the many local businesses and organizations that helped make the Amherst County High School prom a reality in April 2022. The prom was the first for the school in three years due to the pandemic.
Music teacher at Michelle Abbott puts away musical instruments in her classroom at Central Elementary School in Amherst, Virginia on Tuesday, August 4, 2020. Musical instruments are high-touch items and cannot be used when students return to school amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Music teacher at Michelle Abbott puts away musical instruments in her classroom at Central Elementary School in Amherst, Virginia on Tuesday, August 4, 2020. Musical instruments are high-touch items and cannot be used when students return to school amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this February 2021 file photo, Amherst Middle School teacher Jennifer Fitzgerald works at home from her kitchen table while speaking to two of her art students online. The use of online learning was common during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jennifer Fitzgerald holds an example of texture close to the laptop camera so her art students can get a good look.
Amherst resident Vance Wilkins speaks during the tailgate gathering on May 9, 2020 that rallied reopening businesses in Virginia. "The last time I had sideburns this long, Elvis Presley was in style," the former Virginia Speaker of the House said during the event of barbershops not being open at the time.
A crowd gathers at a tailgate event in the Ambriar shopping center in Amherst in May 2020 to voice support for Virginia reopening businesses.
Betsy Langhans, right, keeps a safe distance to hand Gail Stephenson her books at the Amherst Public Library recently as part of the curbside service the county's two library branches offers in June 2020.
Betsy Langhans, left, and Glenda Wray Jennings prepare books to be picked up at the curbside at the Amherst County public library at the Town of Amherst branch in June 2020.
Cars lined up in April 2020 around the Seminole Food Lion in Madison Heights to get the free Easter baskets as Ricky Overstreet directed traffic to get the flow moving forward.
Wendy Wilson gets the cars moving forward at River Church's Easter basket distribution in Madison Heights on April 11, 2020.
Wendy Wilson hands out another Easter basket on April 11, 2020, at the River Church in Madison Heights.
River Church member Danny Lee hands out one of 500 Easter baskets given out April 11, 2020, in Madison Heights.
The River Church in Madison Heights used four lanes of traffic to hand out free Easter baskets on April 11, 2020.
Amherst County High School 2020 graduates celebrated commencement from their cars on Saturday, May 23, 2020 at the school. Video by Jamey Cros…
