D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has named Wednesday a “Day of Remembrance for Lives Lost to COVID-19.”
Bowser also ordered flags to half-staff this week in honor of the more than 500,000 Americans who died from COVID-19.
“These beautiful souls who passed were grandparents, parents, siblings, cousins, neighbors, classmates, colleagues, friends and loved ones,” Bowser said in a statement. “This tragic milestone is a reminder that this pandemic has forever changed families and communities.”
At 6 p.m. Wednesday, houses of worship throughout D.C. are encouraged by Bowser to honor the more than 1,000 people who died from COVID-19 in the District.
“Even when the pandemic ends, for many, the pain and loss will still be there. We will never know just how many lives have been saved through our shared commitment to wearing masks and social distancing, but we continue to make these efforts because we know that every single life saved is precious. Today, we pray for the lives lost and send our love to every person and family impacted by this virus and commit ourselves to continuing to work together,” Bowser said.
Wednesday marked the 1,000th death in the District from COVID-19.
In the proclamation, it says that about one year ago, D.C. was beginning to stand up emergency operations and joint information centers to respond to the pandemic and, “we could not have known the toll it would take on our city.”
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