New York City declares 3/14/21 a day of remembrance for COVID victims

New York City has named a day of remembrance for COVID-19 victims, NBC 4 reports.

This upcoming March 14 will be used to honor the 25,000 lives that were lost to the coronavirus this year. The date marks the first death from the virus recorded in the city.

“We need to recognize 25,000 of our fellow New Yorkers gone — that’s something we have to always mark going forward,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday. “We got to remember them by 1) being there for their families, by 2) honoring those who did so much to try to save them, and 3) by working to make this city better all the time in their memory.”

New York City was an early epicenter of the pandemic in the United States in the spring, but was able to curb its spread within a few months with restrictive measures limiting public gatherings.

New York City began experiencing another resurgence of cases in the past few weeks, much like trends seen across the country as early winter approached.

As of Thursday, at least 426,279 coronavirus cases and 25,099 fatalities have been recorded in the city, according to The New York Times.

In an attempt to turn the trend around, de Blasio set a goal of vaccinating 1 million New Yorkers in January, ABC 7 reported.

“The most important New Year’s resolution I could possibly offer you in the month of January 2021, we will vaccinate one million New Yorkers,” he said. “This city can do it. The amazing health care professionals of this city are ready.”