On Tuesday 23 March, communities across Wales will join in remembrance of lives lost during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The date marks one year since the first national lockdown when the total number of recorded deaths linked to coronavirus in the UK stood at 335 and in Wales 4 on that date. There have now been 126,000 in the UK and 5,488 in Wales.
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The last year has seen a total of three national lockdowns which has meant disruptions for employers, employees, parents, carers on a scale never experienced before.
We learnt new expressions “social distancing”, “the R number”, “epidemiology” and watched the news intently to see what was happening and when would it end.
It was the beginning of spring and as we settled into lockdown we began to clap for our carers and rainbows appeared on walls and windows across the nation. We discovered new places locally where we could exercise and we saw painted stone snakes in our parks and communities.
We also witnessed one of the largest post-war volunteer efforts to provide support and assistance to those shielding, those who needed food and medical supplies and our communities came together to care for one another, socially distanced of course.
Sadly, more people came down with the virus and died, those most vulnerable were the worst affected but there were victims throughout all age groups, nationalities and cultures. Now is the time to remember those who lost their lives and those who remain and grieve for their loss.
But there is now hope as the vaccine programme continues to vaccinate large numbers of people to protect us from the virus which will mean we will hopefully be able to move towards normality in the coming months.
How can I take part in the 23 March commemorations?
- Take part in the national 1 minute silence at 12 noon
- Drawing and placing a yellow heart in your window
- Placing yellow fairy lights in your window
- Placing daffodils in your window
- Lighting a candle
- Fastening yellow ribbons to a tree
- Checking in with someone
- Sharing stories
- Watch the National Coronavirus Commemorative Event broadcast on BBC One Wales and S4C at 5pm.
Buildings and iconic sites will also be lit up yellow as a national mark of unity.
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