What is #LastNormalPhoto? The online challenge that puts life pre-pandemic in focus

A new social media hashtag calls for people to share pictures of what they were doing in the days leading up to global crisis

A picture of Kite Beach taken in January, before social distancing measures were put into place. Antonie Robertson / The National

With people the world over spending more time than usual at home in recent months, it’s only natural to feel nostalgic for the "good old days". So, when the BBC asked readers to share the last “normal” photo they had on their phones, thousands replied – and it wasn’t long before a new social media trend was born.

The images, all posted under the hashtag #LastNormalPhoto on Twitter and Instagram, feature a range of activities – from trips to busy tourist attractions to weddings – that seemed completely normal at the time but are now near impossible. They’re in stark contrast with life at the moment, offering visual proof of how much things have changed over the past few weeks.

Here are some of the best entries, taken before self-isolation became the norm. Warning: the lack of social distancing in these photos is almost anxiety-triggering!

Selling Sunset actress Chrishell Stause shared a video of the Los Angeles Marathon on March 8.

A resident of Newcastle, in the UK, shared a picture of the Szechenyi Baths – a popular tourist attraction in Budapest – with numerous people relaxing in the water. Definitely something we won't be seeing too much of in the near future.

Lucifer showrunner Joe Henderson shared a picture from the show's set right before production stopped. The picture shows stars Tom Ellis and Lauren German enjoying time out on a lush green patch of grass.

Film critic Dan Murrell posted a picture of visitors crowding around the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.

A Twitter user posted a picture of the days when we would touch objects without thinking twice.

A nostalgic photo of a packed beach, taken before social distancing became the new normal.

Author Steve Antony shared a sentimental picture of a large family gathering.

Some people in the UAE also shared photos, such as this one showing a busy evening out in Dubai.

Who can resist a sunset picture taken at Kite Beach?

Or just another Dubai skyline view?