Anne Arundel Passes 500 Deaths; Memorial Remembers Those Lost

ANNAPOLIS, MD — A light snow cascaded from the skies Thursday morning. Most days, the flurries would foster a sense of serene purity. In Annapolis, however, the deceptive flakes felt as cold as ice.

The fine powder countered a police officer's sterile, white gloves at the Anne Arundel County Department of Health. For eight minutes and 20 seconds, the officer and a small crowd stood in silence.

The only noises that broke the solemn quiet were the distant sounds of sirens and the chilling chimes of a bell. The officer's pristine gloves rang that harrowing gong at the top of every minute during those 500 reflective seconds, memorializing every county resident killed by coronavirus.

At the rain-or-shine event, County Executive Steuart Pittman acknowledged that the pandemic has taken a toll on everybody. It has been a painful year, he said, but some people have lost more than others.

"There’s a group of people, a group of people whose names are not made public, who have sacrificed more than the rest of us," Pittman noted. "Much much more than the rest of us."

Anne Arundel County reached 501 suspected coronavirus deaths this week. Lab exams confirmed 487 of the cases. The other 14 were never tested.

"They did not volunteer to lay down their lives," the county executive added. "They did not die with their loved ones by their sides. They were infected against their will because we as a community, a country and a world failed to stop the spread of this virus"

Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman knows it's easy to get caught up in the metrics. He encouraged locals to also consider that each number is somebody's relative, friend or colleague.

"Today, we take a moment to remember those we have lost," Kalyanaraman said. "Tomorrow and every day after, we can honor their memory by wearing a mask, keeping social distance, avoiding gatherings and getting the shot when it’s your turn."

To see when you'll be eligible for the coronavirus inoculation, read Patch's explainer. Check out our how-to guide to learn how to sign up for the shot. Catch up on the latest coronavirus infection and vaccination metrics in Anne Arundel County by heading to our latest numbers update.

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