The familiar hustle and bustle of traffic is now replaced with the buzz of vibrating phones.
In the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, people across the world are ordered by their governments to stay home.
With a restriction on physical face time, the FaceTime app, as well as Zoom, Skype, and others, are seeing a massive spike in calls.
"It's kinda been a cultural 180," says Dr. Chelsea R. Grimmer, lecturer, scholar, and poet at University of Washington.
"It's just more fun seeing people's facial expressions, and you feel like you're seeing more! I think it's just more intimate," says Wendy Veldheer, Grand Rapids mother and grandmother. "It makes you feel less isolated."
More intimate, and possibly a boost in mental health.
A study led by researchers at Oregon Health and Science University found that use of FaceTime and Skype significantly lowers the probability of depression, specifically those over the age of 60.
During this historic shutdown there will be new life, there will be birthdays, there will be holidays.
People may not be able to be there physically, but humanity is proving that this virus won't stop us from get together in new ways.
