“20,000 American Flags To Memorialize 200,000 COVID-19 Dead on National Mall”

Photo by dcitty

Emily writes: “saw a bunch of flags by the monument today on my run, can’t find anything about it. Guessing Covid related, any idea?”

dcitty writes (along with the stunning photo above): “Flags in at the base of the Washington Monument in #DC to represent all the lives lost due to #Covid_19”

From a press release:

“On Monday, September 21st & Tuesday, September 22nd, the COVID Memorial Project will install 20,000 American flags on the National Mall as the United States crosses the devastating threshold of 200,000 lives lost in the COVID-19 pandemic and host a memorial service honoring those dead.

The flags will be displayed on the grounds of the Washington Monument facing the White House and will recognize two hard facts:

This extreme loss of life is staggering — but was not inevitable: the President’s poor handling of the virus response has led to tens of thousands of excess deaths. And this administration has done nothing to memorialize this stunning number of lives lost — instead choosing to downplay, minimize, and ignore whenever possible. No flags lowered, no service held, no day of mourning declared.

The COVID Memorial Project is organized by a group of friends in DC and is not affiliated with or funded by any other entity or organization.

(flags are to remain in place through sunset on Wednesday, September 23rd)”