Lucy is a successful writer who grew up in extreme poverty in rural Illinois. At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, she is living alone in New York City and still grieving her second husband, David. Thoughtful and deeply empathetic, she struggles to comprehend the monumental global events unfolding around her. She relies on her ability to observe and understand different perspectives as she manages her abrupt relocation to Maine.

William is Lucy's first husband, a 71-year-old parasitologist whose scientific background allows him to foresee the severity of the coming pandemic. He is a private, often secretive man who grapples with regrets about his past affairs and family history. He assumes a protective role by arranging a rental house in rural Maine to keep Lucy safe during the crisis.

Bob is a thoughtful lawyer living in Crosby, Maine. As a former New Yorker, he quickly becomes a comforting presence for Lucy as she adjusts to the quiet rural environment. Growing up with his own complex class background, he possesses a rare understanding of the deeper themes in Lucy's writing.

Chrissy is Lucy and William's older daughter. She faces the challenges of the pandemic while dealing with personal grief and a changing dynamic with her parents. Like her sister, she transitions into a more independent, adult relationship with her mother as the crisis unfolds.

Becka is Lucy and William's younger daughter, working as a social worker in New York City. She initially relies heavily on her mother's emotional support over the phone as lockdown begins. Highly observant and fiercely protective of her mother, she experiences significant shifts in her personal life during the pandemic.

David was Lucy's second husband, a cellist whose death about a year before the pandemic leaves her in a state of deep grief. Her memories of him frequently surface as she attempts to process her sudden isolation in Maine.

Michael is Chrissy's husband, who works as a financial advisor. Because he suffers from asthma, his physical health becomes a major source of concern for the family during the early viral outbreak.

Trey is Becka's husband. The city-wide lockdown traps the couple together in close quarters, causing deep emotional friction that forces Becka to frequently call her mother for support.

Estelle is William's third wife, from whom he is recently estranged. She maintains a cordial relationship with William as they handle parenting their young daughter across a physical distance.

Bridget is William and Estelle's ten-year-old daughter. Her physical distance from William during the lockdown is a profound source of sadness for him.

Lois is William's recently discovered half-sister. The global isolation prompts an unexpected opportunity for the two to correspond and build a tentative family bond.

Margaret is Bob Burgess's wife and a local Unitarian minister. Although she initially harbors prejudice against affluent New Yorkers, her ministerial nature eventually allows her to connect warmly with Lucy.

Vicky is Lucy's sister, who works a high-risk job in a nursing home and supports five children. She handles the pandemic by joining a fundamentalist church, causing deep ideological friction with her city-dwelling sister.

Pete is Lucy's brother, a solitary man who still lives in the dilapidated childhood home where they grew up. His quiet life remains relatively unchanged early in the pandemic, though he remains a constant source of concern for Lucy.

Charlene is a working-class Maine resident who cleans houses for a living. She strikes up a walking friendship with Lucy, gently exposing the political and class differences present in the small coastal community.

Katherine is a local woman in Crosby who shares a brief, memorable childhood connection with Bob Burgess. They uncover their shared history of childhood grief during a socially distanced gathering.

Tom is a local neighbor near William and Lucy's rental house in Maine. He quietly represents the rural locals' unease regarding the influx of affluent out-of-staters fleeing the viral outbreak in major cities.