When Covid-19 struck the United States in March 2020, life changed for everyone. There was anger, fear, and loss everywhere. It’s estimated that for every person who dies from the virus, nine people will be left grieving. Multiply that by the nearly 1 million  Covid-19 deaths in the United States and you can easily see the huge impact the pandemic has left behind. Recognizing this, the nonprofit Marked by Covid is on a mission to create a day to remember the loved ones that have passed away. 

   Founded by those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, Marked by Covid strives to create a brighter, pandemic-free future. It is from those values that the idea was developed: a day to remember the many people lost to an invisible killer. Covid-19 Victims and Survivors Memorial Day, as it may soon be called, would be held on the first Monday of March. This date would fall around the same time that the World Health Organization announced that Covid-19 had reached pandemic status, March 11th. The holiday would serve as a time to think about loved ones lost to the pandemic and address the great loss our nation has seen. It would also celebrate the medical professionals who have worked so hard to keep America healthy and protected. 

   The only thing holding back the holiday from being nationally recognized is congressional approval. Provided that only 4 federal holidays have been created in the last century, making Covid-19 Victims and Survivors Memorial Day official is going to be a difficult task. However, that doesn’t mean that people can’t take it into their own hands to celebrate the day. Most official holidays, like Columbus Day and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, started out at the state level before they went nationwide. So even if it’s not on the calendar just yet, celebrating the lives of loved ones can be done by anyone, anywhere.