Almost two years from the start of the pandemic, dozens of people joined Santa Fe lawmakers and first responders Monday to remember those lost from COVID-19.
After a moment of silence at noon to remember those lost, fire engines and churches rang their bells and the people cheered to honor the first responders who put their lives on the line to battle the Coronavirus.
It was two years ago this Friday, New Mexico announced it’s first positive case of COVID-19.
Since then at least 248 lives have been lost in Santa Fe County alone.
Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber says COVID Memorial Day was designed to remember those who died and doctors, nurses, teachers and others who battled against the virus.
“Santa Fe has stood together as no other city in America,” he said. “Our vaccination rate, our rate of caring for each other, of feeding people, housing people, helping people has been unparalleled in the whole country, so we need to say thank you to everybody.”
As the Santa Nino Children’s Choir sang to wrap up the ceremony, the crowd was reminded that it has been about two years since such a public event could take place.
Webber says there is still a lot of work to be done, and that while mask mandates have been lifted everyone still needs to be on the alert and take preventative measures to reduce the chances of another spike in cases.