At the beginning of the pandemic, while working in the ED, seeing the severity of illness and loss of life first hand while trying to stay abreast of the news, the gravity of so many people dying was overwhelming. It is a time I hope never to be repeated. We need to take time out of our busy lives to remember.
Every Valentine’s Day since the first year of the pandemic, we have remembered those our community has lost due to COVID-19. Here we are six years later with COVID still killing some, less cases but unfortunately still causing serious illness and death. The pandemic may be over but the grief and loss suffered by loved ones never leaves.
Globally there have been 7,110,537 COVID deaths reported cumulatively. The total American COVID death cases as of January 2026 is 1,201,000. Since the pandemic ended the US is seeing 200,000 deaths annually from this virus. The pandemic is now recognized as the most deadly disaster in our country’s history. Remember these numbers do not reflect all the unreported cases.
Closer to home, Massachusetts lost almost 21,000 people to COVID. There have been approximately 200 deaths this season. It is more difficult to find specific numbers for our community. Close tracking of disease statistics is no longer employed since the pandemic officially ended. The specific number doesn’t matter, its the loss of each human life that we are paying homage to today.
It always seems so impersonal putting out these numbers, but the data do show the enormous impact. Each number represents a person. A person who was well loved by parents, family and friends. A life cut short causing a ripple affect of loss, grief and consequences for those left behind.
London has a national COVID memorial wall. In the US, Germantown Maryland, there is a Covid Memorial Pyramid. Other memorials planned or in the works are in Belgium, NYC, NJ and Chicago.
Written on the National Covid Memorial is this, “This wall is an anchor, a lodestone for the shock and horror, the anguish and anger of so many hundreds of thousands of us, bereaved and bereft by covid. Somehow, this simple wall of hearts captures and holds the enormity of our loss. All those beautiful souls. The wall is all we have left.”
And this, “A place of unity. Where losing someone this way has been very isolating for many different reasons, the wall is a reminder we aren’t alone. They had names, families who loved them, stories to tell — and they well never be just a number. The wall reflects that.”
Please take a moment of silence and remember those no longer with us. Reach out to their friends and family to let them know they are not forgotten or lost in the politics that overshadowed their tragedy. We can be that wall as long as we remember.
Take care of yourself and someone else.
Juanita Carnes is a nurse practitioner with 39 years of experience in a hospital emergency department and urgent care facilities. She served 30 years on the Board of Health in Westfield, Massachusetts.
