Stirring Tributes To COVID Victims Take Place Across Essex County

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Sirens sounded. Amber lights illuminated buildings. Candles burned bright. Bells rang. And in Essex County, a memorial to all who have died during the coronavirus pandemic brought tears to many eyes on Tuesday evening.

Several municipalities in Essex County held their own local versions of the National COVID-19 Memorial, a campaign led by the Presidential Inaugural Committee of Joe Biden that called for people to pause at 5:30 p.m. and pay tribute to more than 400,000 people who have passed away from COVID-19 complications in the United States. (Watch a video of the national tribute here)

In Montclair, officials lit the municipal building in amber and asked residents to show solidarity by lighting candles in their windows or ringing bells.

In Caldwell, the borough sounded its fire alarms at 5:30 p.m. in tribute to the deceased.

A similar effort was made in Livingston, getting a round of applause of social media.

“If the sounding of these alarms does not convince this pandemic is as deadly as it is real, I don't know what will,” one person commented.

In North Caldwell, Notre Dame Church rang its bells for those who have died. (Story continues below)

U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr. of the 10th District wrote about the day of remembrance, adding that he’s launched his own House resolution to declare a National Day of Mourning for COVID-19 victims.

Payne represents portions of Essex, Hudson and Union counties, including Bloomfield, East Orange, Glen Ridge, Irvington, Maplewood, Montclair, Newark, Orange, South Orange and West Orange.

Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, an East Orange resident, also asked people to honor the deceased on Tuesday.

"We're united in our grief for the hundreds of thousands of American lives lost to COVID-19," Oliver wrote.

The movement for mass mourning has been ongoing in Essex County, including Newark, the state's most populated city.

In December, Newark held a citywide vigil for COVID-19 victims, asking residents to light candles and remember their loved ones.

Essex County provided the following COVID-19 case and death totals on Wednesday.

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