Title
To declare Monday, March 1st, 2021 as COVID-19 victims and survivors Memorial Day in the City of Columbus, Ohio and to thank each of the essential workers that have stepped up to provide the critical services needed to protect our community.
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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 a catastrophic effect 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 to find innovative ways to provide services; and
WHEREAS, in response to the rapid spread of COVID-19 and in response to the 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 nation’s health system - inequities which are now part of a national conversation that must be addressed; and
WHEREAS, public health guidance and policies targeted at prevention, at social distancing, imploring people to wear a mask in public, and staying home help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, prevent illness, and lessen the burden on individuals and society; and
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, each life lost to the COVID-19 pandemic is a life that mattered - moreover each loss leaves a hole in the hea...
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