It was five years ago today that then-Gov. Charlie Baker declared a State of Emergency in Massachusetts due to the rapidly growing threat of COVID. At the time, there were fewer than 100 reported cases of coronavirus in the state, but life would soon change drastically in an attempt to "stop the spread."

"There's no question the efforts to mitigate the spread of this virus will be disruptive," Baker said at the time. "We expect this disruption to continue for the foreseeable future and understand it will cause inconvenience for many."  

Here's a look at a timeline of major events related to COVID in Massachusetts.

Feb 1, 2020: A UMass student returning to Boston from Wuhan, China tests positive for COVID, marking the first recorded coronavirus case in Massachusetts. 

Feb 26-27, 2020: Biogen holds an international business conference at the Long Wharf Marriot in Boston. A study found that the conference could have been connected to as many as 300,000 COVID cases worldwide.

March 10, 2020: A state of emergency is declared in Massachusetts due to COVID. 

March 15, 2020: Baker orders all schools in Massachusetts to close. Gatherings of groups larger than 25 are prohibited, and restaurants are limited to serving takeout or delivery food.

March 23, 2020: All non-essential businesses in Massachusetts are ordered closed. 

May 1, 2020: Baker orders all Massachusetts residents to wear a face mask in public. 

Dec. 18, 2020: The FDA grants Cambridge-based Moderna an emergency use authorization for its COVID vaccine. 

April 5, 2021: Most elementary schools in Massachusetts return to full-time, in-person learning. 

May 29, 2021: All COVID restrictions in Massachusetts are lifted, allowing restaurants and other businesses to fully reopen.