Cities, counties and organizations across Colorado turned their building lights red at 7 p.m. Friday to honor those who have fallen victim to the coronavirus.
In Colorado, 878 people died from COVID-19 as of Friday; around the country, 85,990. One of those people was a La Plata County community member who died from the disease.
“It is important to remember that those we have lost are more than just numbers on a bulletin, or a statistic, or an obituary in the local newspaper,” Gov. Jared Polis in a news release. “Every person we have lost to this horrible pandemic has a story and a community of loved ones in mourning.”
The state encouraged buildings and businesses across the state to turn their lights red, and for police and fire departments to turn their lights on for one minute Friday evening. Coloradans could participate by wearing a mask or face covering and observing a moment of silence. Coloradans were also encouraged to post on social media to raise awareness about the remembrance event.
As businesses and service providers begin to reopen, the state continues to report new cases of the virus. La Plata County has one of the least severe outbreaks in the state.
“It remains critical that we all do our part: wear a mask when leaving the house, wash our hands frequently and continue staying home as much as possible,” Polis said. “If we all do our part, we can help protect ourselves, our neighbors, those who are vulnerable and the front-line workers who are trying to keep us safe.”
smullane@durangoherald.com