Although Nagamatsu began working on How High We Go in the Dark in 2011, the virus that the novel describes has obvious parallels to the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 is a variety of the severe acute respiratory symptom disease (SARS), which stems from viral infection. The underlying coronavirus first appeared in 2003 and is transmissible through the air, saliva, and close contact. Case fatality is estimated at approximately 3%, with symptoms ranging from fever to body aches (“Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS),” World Health Organization). The specific strain of the virus that causes COVID-19 was first identified in December of 2019 in Wuhan, China. Virus adaptability means that it undergoes significant genetic changes that impact its spread, its speed, and the severity of illness it causes. Currently, no cures exist for the COVID-19 virus or the broader SARS strains, though vaccination can dramatically reduce the likelihood of infection as well as infection severity.

COVID-19 has had long-term ramifications for communities around the globe, impacting health, social behavior, work, and emotional development. Lockdowns and masking procedures restricted access to communities, and people missed out on major life events. Many workplaces transitioned to fully remote or hybrid work, changing both the landscape of cities that once housed employees and the skills necessary for career readiness.