Arizona Lowers Flags To Honor 500K Lives Lost To The Coronavirus

ARIZONA — Arizona's flags will be lowered to half-staff for five days starting Tuesday as the U.S. reached the sobering milestone of 500,000 coronavirus deaths.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey ordered the lowering of flags in conjunction with President Joe Biden's proclamation, he said in a news release. Biden had previously ordered that all U.S. flags on federal properties be lowered to half-staff for the week.

“As we pull together and continue to work to save lives and fight COVID-19, we also grieve and pray for all the lives we’ve lost in Arizona and across the nation to this disease,” Ducey said in a statement. “We mourn each and every life lost — loved ones, family, friends, neighbors. Every life is precious, and we will continue to work hard to protect more Arizonans and overcome the devastating effects of the pandemic.

Arizona’s death toll from the coronavirus passed 15,000 last week.

Arizona reported 1,184 more cases and 148 additional deaths on Tuesday, bringing the state’s totals to 810,658 cases and 15,650 confirmed deaths since the pandemic began, according to state data.

The flags will stay at half-staff until Saturday.

The Associated Press contributed to this reporting.