As Survivors Mourn the 500,000 Lives Taken by COVID-19, They Honor The More than 27 Million Americans Who Have Contracted the Devastating Virus

NEW YORK – Less than a month after passing the 400,000 death marker, our nation will soon hit yet another grim milestone of 500,000 American deaths from COVID-19. In response to this tragedy, members of the non-partisan grassroots survivor network, COVID Survivors for Change, released the following statements.

“It’s devastating to pass 500,000 deaths while so many Americans still refuse to follow even the most basic of precautions,” said Caitlin Mariani, a member of COVID Survivors for Change in Washington, whose husband, Simon, was killed by COVID-19 in January, leaving her as the sole provider for their children. “We need Congress to pass Biden’s COVID-19 relief plan immediately and do everything else in its power to finally put an end to this national crisis. Half a million people have needlessly died because of the prior administration’s failure.” 

“The aftershocks from this devastating virus and our country’s failure to stop it will undoubtedly be felt for years to come,” said Chris Kocher, executive director of COVID Survivors for Change. “The swift actions already taken by the Biden administration to address the catastrophic economic and health impacts from COVID-19 are a sign that our demands are finally being heard, but there’s still so much more to be done to support COVID survivors. We need to continue to implement a national plan to end the pandemic, and we need to do more to honor the 500,000 lives taken by it, too. To make sure this never happens again, we must memorialize this trauma, and create a plan to honor the many lives forever taken and changed by the pandemic.”        

About COVID Survivors for Change

COVID Survivors for Change is a national, non-partisan movement bringing together Americans who have experienced a loved one taken by COVID-19, as well as those who have survived the virus and those whose lives have been dramatically altered by the pandemic. As part of COVID Survivors for Change, Americans are mobilizing to make sure that communities have the funding, resources and leadership in place to address future public health emergencies. Survivors will also find community and healing in meeting other people whose lives have been forever changed by the pandemic. For more information, please visit: covidsurvivorsforchange.org.

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