Committee on Health and Human Relations City council meeting February 24, 2021
COVID-19 Victims and Survivors Memorial Day Resolution
WHEREAS, the first Monday in March, has been designated as COVID-19 Victims and Survivors Memorial Day; and
WHEREAS, COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) is an illness caused by a virus that can transmit from person to person and has spread across the world, creating a global pandemic that is having catastrophic effects on human life, our community, and our economy; and
WHEREAS, Local and state governments, health departments, and public servants have taken bold actions to protect residents, support struggling local economies, and find innovative ways to provide services; and
WHEREAS, In response to rapid spread of COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders, essential workers have stepped up to provide critical services to help protect our communities and save lives, sacrificing their own health and safety; and
WHEREAS, COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on low-income communities and communities of color, exacerbating inequities already prevalent in our systems that we must address as a nation; and
WHEREAS, Public health guidance and policies targeted at prevention, such as social distancing, wearing masks in public, and staying home help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, prevent illness, and lessen the burden on individuals and society,
WHEREAS, The symptoms and severity of COVID-19 can vary dramatically by individual and the long-term health implications for survivors is largely unknown, as many survivors suffer with lingering side-effects of the disease long after they no longer test positive; and
WHEREAS, More than 2.4 million people worldwide and half a million people in the United States have lost their lives due to COVID-19, and, in CHICAGO alone, more than four thousand nine hundred lives have been lost to this deadly virus; and
WHEREAS, Each life lost to COVID-19 mattered and leaves a hole in the hearts of loved ones, family members, and surrounding community; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED CHICAGO supports the designation of the first Monday in March as "COVID-19 Memorial Day", in remembrance of those who have lost their