The statement came as the mayor declared a day of remembrance on Wednesday for the more than 500,000 Americans and 1,000 DC residents who died of the disease. The city announced it had passed 1,000 deaths on Wednesday.
Bowser ordered the flags to be raised at half-mast and encouraged the places of worship to honor those who died in the pandemic on Wednesday night.
“These beautiful souls who died were grandparents, parents, brothers, cousins, neighbors, classmates, classmates, friends and loved ones,” said Bowser in a statement announcing the day of remembrance. “This tragic milestone is a reminder that this pandemic has forever changed families and communities.”
Mercia Bowser had previously worked for Catholic Charities and DC Office on Aging, focusing her work on children, the elderly and people with behavioral disorders, the mayor said in her statement.