More and more people are joining a push for the federal government to recognize those who lost their lives to the coronavirus by creating a national COVID Memorial Day.
The movement is spearheaded by the non-profit organization Marked by COVID, which works to support those harmed by the pandemic.
The organization says 152 mayors in 36 states have taken official action to proclaim the first Monday in March as COVID–19 Victims and Survivors Memorial Day. Now, supporters want the federal government to follow suit.
"March will always be, for us, the month that COVID came to the United States and changed our lives forever," Marked by COVID co-founder Kristin Urquiza told WTKR.
Marked by COVID is pushing House Resolution 174, which would establish one day a year to collectively acknowledge the impact COVID-19 has had on the nation and honor the many lives lost through the pandemic. The day would be recognized on the first Monday of March, in perpetuity.
"The U.S. needs a permanent commemoration to remember the victims of the pandemic and their families — and to recognize those who have experienced a number of consequences from COVID," Fiana Paulette Garza told NBC News. Garza's mother, a respiratory therapist who came out of retirement to help treat COVID patients, died from the virus at age 64. "It's just a shame we are having to push for something like this. It should be obvious."
In addition to establishing a permanent national holiday, the legislation would recognize those suffering from long COVID and acknowledge the sacrifices frontline and essential workers have made.
The bill would also ensure that history is recorded correctly and help with the prevention of future pandemics, according to the non-profit.
"Our elected officials are holding two truths at the same time. One, they do recognize something like memorializing our lost loved ones as a no-brainer, as necessary," Urquiza told NBC. "But it also helps solidify that this was real, that it had a really big impact on our lives, and that their leadership, their policies, played a role in getting us to where we're at right now."
The bill, sponsored by Representative Greg Stanton of Arizona, has been introduced in the House but not yet approved.
"Commemorating this Memorial Day is an important marker for all those affected by this pandemic," Stanton said in a statement. "Long after our nation moves beyond this most grim episode, we will need to collectively recognize all those we lost and the aftershocks of what we experienced."
More than 955,000 people have died from COVID in the United States as of March 6, 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
On Monday, Marked by COVID is holding its second annual virtual vigil for COVID victims. Rep. Stanton is among those expected to deliver a speech during the event.
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