A national day of reflection and a minute of silence will be held to honour the 143,000 people who have died in the pandemic.
Nearly 12 months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s heartbreaking to look back on the devastating effects of the past year. To remember and mourn the more than 143,000 people we’ve lost so far to the novel coronavirus, the UK will introduce a national day of reflection on March 23, exactly a year after the beginning of our first lockdown.
Members of the public are encouraged to hold a minute of silence at 12 pm and light up their doorsteps for a nighttime vigil, while national landmarks will be illuminated in solidarity at 8 pm.
The day will be organised by Marie Curie, the UK’s leading end of life charity, and is backed by the Prime Minister, the NHS, the British Red Cross, and countless other politicians, organisations and charities. Hopes are that going forward, it will be held annually.
Voicing his support of the idea, Boris Johnson said: “This has been an incredibly difficult year for our country. My thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones, and who have not been able to pay tribute to them in the way they would have wanted.”
In a message of hope, he added: “As we continue to make progress against the virus, I want to thank people for the sacrifices they continue to make, and hope they can look forward to being reunited with loved ones as restrictions are cautiously eased.”