When is National COVID-19 Day? This day will take place on March 11 of each calendar year.
What is National COVID-19 Day? The 1st annual National COVID-19 Day will take place on March 11, 2021, in recognition of the day COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in 2020 by the World Health Organization. This day will honor those who died, help those struggling, give heartfelt gratitude to essential workers, and share hope. National COVID-19 Day is an initiative of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute.
Why is this day being celebrated or observed? It is important to pause and recognize collectively how our world, nation, and lives have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We seek to honor those we have lost, to help and support one another through this unprecedented time, and to move forward together in hope. Our shared pandemic experience has resulted in deep suffering and loss for people around the world and the common experience of social distancing has created intense feelings of isolation, helplessness, and loss. This day unifies this collective experience and brings us together to help the world move toward healing and hope.
How should this day be celebrated or observed? This National Day will create a way for people to virtually raise awareness, mourn losses, provide care and resources, and experience community, even if not in person.
Website: A website will provide a virtual home for the national day where observers can visit to learn about the day, read about survivorship, events, request a speaker, and find resources around raising awareness, coping with loss, and experience community.
Virtual Events: On this day, an official COVID-19 Day virtual event will take place with speakers, time to recognize those we have lost during this pandemic, and a virtual concert. In addition to our official event our team is planning, we will encourage others to also plan and register their event on our website. In addition to helping make others aware of events available online, we will provide ideas and resources to help others find ways to participate and make a difference.
Resources: Resources will be created to help people cope emotionally and navigate stress associated with the pandemic.
Themes: The annual day will have a theme such as #notalone. Using this theme, observers of the holiday will post to social media signs displaying #notalone, COVID-19 Day merchandise, and using the hashtag theme.
Colors: To promote a unified image, the official event colors are red and white.
Lighting Ceremonies: There will be a landmark lighting initiative where governments and cities will be encouraged light up important landmarks in red and white lights
Who created this day? National COVID-19 Day was created in November 2020 by Jamie Aten of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute.