CAYCE, S.C. — On March 1, the City of Cayce will honor the victims and survivors of the coronavirus.
Cayce City Council had a meeting on Wednesday evening. The council members unanimously adopted a resolution to make the first Monday in March 'COVID-19 Victims and Survivors Memorial Day'. This will be to remember "those who have lost their lives and in honor of those who are forever marked by COVID and continue to suffer from the impact of the virus."
Mayor Elise Partin felt it was important for the city to have 'COVID-19 Memorial Day' to remember those affected and reflect on what everyone has been through.
"This was an opportunity for us to just stop and pause and a take a look at the time. It's been a year since we've all been really immersed in trying to do the best we can and learn as much as we can, as fast we can about the what's going on with this global pandemic," said Mayor Partin.
More than 7,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Lexington County.
The mayor says people have seen others lose their life, who have been sick or survived from having the coronavirus. Some people have been impacted by being out of work for several days or even local businesses being affected.
"It's important for us and I think something that we do well is to take time and reflect and pause on the effect on us as a community and what else we can do to make sure that we are taking care of each other the best way that we can," explained Mayor Partin.
One thing she hopes comes out of the resolution is people thinking about their neighbors and figuring out ways they can help them like helping someone sign up for an appointment to get the vaccine.
"I hope that people will take a minute to leave that note on the neighbor's door and say do you need help getting signed up to get your vaccine or is there anything still that you need," said Mayor Partin. "Take that moment to pause, to take the deep breath, to be thankful that there is hope on the horizon and maybe to look out for a neighbor and see what else we can do."
Mayor Partin says on March 1, she'll also remember the business owners for all the creative things they have had to do to stay open during the pandemic, healthcare workers and many others.
During the meeting on Wednesday night, city officials also showed their appreciation for South Carolinians that continue to follow the guidelines and safety protocols from the Centers for Disease Control.