Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio named, on thursday, a day of remembrance for the city’s victims of COVID-19.
Mayor de Blasio marked March 14, the day New York City’s first COVID-19 death was recorded, as a day to commemorate the lives lost, NBC 4 reported. There have been at least 25,000 COVID-19 related deaths in the city, according to the NBC affiliate.
“We need to recognize 25,000 of our fellow New Yorkers gone — that’s something we have to always mark going forward,” de Blasio said, according to the NBC affiliate. “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.”
There have been more than 426,000 reported virus cases in New York City as of Dec. 31, according to New York Times data. (RELATED: Cuomo Says Addicts In Rehab Facilities Are Next In Line For Coronavirus Vaccine)
We had our first reported COVID-19 death on March 14, 2020.
On March 14, 2021 we will honor all those we lost with a day of remembrance.
It will be a moment to reflect, but it will also be a moment to look forward and use the lessons we’ve learned to build a better city. pic.twitter.com/Kxz8lqwTqu
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) December 31, 2020
De Blasio also announced his goal to vaccinate 1 million New York City residents by the end of January, ABC 7 reported. The mayor said it will take a concerted effort from the federal and state governments and vaccine manufacturers.
“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.”
“We are going to set up new sites all over the city, on top of the many, many sites that are already operational,” de Blasio said. “We are going to expand our hospitals, clinics, neighborhoods across the city. Our goal is upwards of 250 locations citywide. This is going to be a massive effort, part of the largest single vaccination effort in the history of NYC. It’s going to take a lot of work.”