Annapolis will ring bells in honor of COVID-19 victims City to hold Jan. 19 moment of silence to commemorate lives lost to pandemic

The City of Annapolis will commemorate the lives lost during the coronavirus pandemic with a city-wide bell-ringing ceremony on Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m., followed by a moment of silence.

The "National Commemoration for Lives Lost to Covid-19" is part of a nationwide memorial to remember people who have died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. Overnight, the windows at Annapolis City Hall will be lit green as a memorial tribute, according to a city news release.

"The City of Annapolis has lost dozens to this virus over the past 10 months," Mayor Gavin Buckley said. "We mourn with their friends and families."

Since the pandemic began in March, at least 388 Anne Arundel County residents have died from the virus. They were grandparents and parents, wives and husbands, young and old from all walks of life.

The city has partnered with St. Anne's Parish, Kneseth Israel Congregation, St. Mary's Church and Mount Olive AME Church. Other churches are encouraged to participate.

Just before the bell-ringing, Buckley and Office of Emergency Management Director Kevin Simmons will speak to residents on the city's Facebook and Instagram pages as public gatherings are discouraged and sometimes prohibited due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Even while the Health Department is rolling out the vaccine, case rates and positivity numbers are climbing. We take this moment to mourn those lost, but we must remain vigilant by continuing to wear a mask, watch our distance and wash our hands," said Office of Emergency Management Director Kevin Simmons. "This is a show of unity on this night, but by continuing with our pandemic protocols, we can honor those lost by slowing the spread of this deadly virus."

President-elect Joe Biden's inaugural committee has organized the event, inviting cities across the country to join in remember the more than 300,000 Americans who have died. In Washington, D.C., there will be a lighting ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, according to a news release from the Presidential Inauguration Committee.

Biden will be inaugurated as the 46th president on Jan. 20. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is inaugurated the same day.