(Washington, DC) – Today, in acknowledgment of more than 1,000 lives lost to COVID-19 in Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser proclaimed Wednesday, February 24, 2021, “A Day of Remembrance for Lives Lost to COVID-19” and released the following statement:
“Today, we mourn the loss of more than 1,000 Washingtonians to COVID-19. These beautiful souls who passed were grandparents, parents, siblings, cousins, neighbors, classmates, colleagues, friends, and loved ones. This tragic milestone is a reminder that this pandemic has forever changed families and communities. 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.”
This week, Mayor Bowser also ordered flags to half-staff in honor of the more than 500,000 Americans who have lost their lives to COVID-19. Tonight, at 6 pm, houses of worship across DC are encouraged to honor the more than 1,000 lives lost to COVID-19 in Washington, DC.
The full proclamation is below:
A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR LIVES LOST TO COVID-19
February 24, 2021
WHEREAS, Nearly one year ago, as we were beginning to stand up the District’s emergency operations and joint information centers to address and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, we could not have known the toll it would take on our city; and
WHEREAS, On March 20, 2020, Washington, DC experienced the first tragic death from the coronavirus and our losses would continue; and
WHEREAS, Today, we sadly announce the 1,000th death from coronavirus in Washington, DC; and as we have with each, offer our sympathy unconditional support to the families and loved ones of our lost neighbors; and
WHEREAS, we are grateful for the hard work and heroic efforts of our health care workers, first responders, and public health teams who have cared for and treated the sick and kept our community informed throughout the pandemic; and
WHEREAS, For nearly a year, our community has made tremendous sacrifices to protect our most vulnerable neighbors and slow the spread of the virus, and we continue to do so; and
WHEREAS, The virus has disproportionately affected and taken the lives of Black and Brown Washingtonians, while leaving no community untouched. The lives lost represent neighbors from across all 8 wards—they were front line workers, police officers, immigrants, DC Government employees, professors, and religious leaders, among many others; and
WHEREAS, Most importantly, these 1,000 beautiful souls who passed were our parents, children, cousins, neighbors, classmates, colleagues, friends, and our cherished loved ones:
NOW, THEREFORE, I, THE MAYOR OF WASHINGTON, DC, do hereby proclaim February 24, 2021, in Washington, DC as “A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR LIVES LOST TO COVID-19” and call on all Washingtonians to pause and remember the neighbors, family, and friends whose lives were lost, and I encourage them to continue wearing their masks, maintaining social distancing, getting tested, staying home if sick, and getting vaccinated when eligible to help keep us all stay healthy, safe and strong.
