COVID Day of Reflection: When is it and how to mark five years since start of global pandemic
Five years on from the start of the COVID pandemic, the UK will mark a nationwide Day of Reflection.
The deadly virus shut down the world after it began to spread from Wuhan in China at the beginning of 2020.
Between March 2020 and July 2022, an estimated 180,000 people died after contracting COVID in England and Wales, according to figures published by The King's Fund thinktank.
To commemorate the unprecedented period, an annual day of reflection was one of 10 recommendations set out by the UK Commission on COVID Commemoration back in 2023.
This year, events around England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been organised by local councils and community groups to mark the fifth anniversary.
Here is everything you need to know about the day, and how to get involved.
What is the Day of Reflection and when is it?
This year's COVID Day of Reflection is on Sunday, 9 March.
The UK government said the day will be an opportunity for the public to remember those who lost their lives, as well as reflect on the impact the virus had on daily lives, and pay tribute to all frontline workers.
What events are going on?
Governments and local councils from across the four nations have announced they are taking part in the Day of Reflection.
In London, a procession is planned along the National COVID Memorial Wall in Westminster.
Also in the capital, special evensong services will be held at St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, which will include readings, music, and prayers. The event at St Paul's is for ticket-holders only.
At Euston station, a minute's silence will be held at midday.
An invite-only event is also planned to take place at the National Memorial Arboretum near Lichfield, Staffordshire. Author and poet Michael Rosen will speak at the event and soprano Lesley Garrett will perform.
In Wales, the yellow heart memorial, made up of yellow stones on the side of a mountain in the village of Bwlch, will be restored, while families who lost loved ones during the pandemic will gather to plant trees in the Ynys Hywel COVID memorial woodland.
In Scotland, a wreath will be laid at the memorial bench behind Pollock House in Glasgow followed by a release of doves. In the northern town of Wick, a film documenting how people in the Scottish Highlands experienced the pandemic will be premiered.
In Northern Ireland, Belfast City Hall will light up yellow to remember those lost during the pandemic.
A reflection concert will also be held at 2 Royal Avenue in the city centre, where singers from The National Lottery Community Fund, Belfast Rock Choir and 11-year-old social media sensation Isla Loves will perform.
Numerous grief support groups have also been set up in locations across the country.
A full list of planned events can be found on the government website here.
What has the government said?
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the Day of Reflection is an "opportunity to remember the friends and loved ones that we lost, as well as the sacrifices that so many people made".
She said people could take part by attending or organising a community event, or remembering in their own way at home.
3:17
Chair of the COVID Commemoration Commission Baroness Morgan of Cotes added: "As each year passes since the height of the pandemic it can feel as if COVID is more and more of a distant memory.
"And yet I know from the conversations the UK COVID Commemoration Commissioners had, that those who lost loved ones appreciate a day when many others will also remember those who lost their lives with them."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
20 hours ago
- Daily Record
Ancient 5000-year-old tomb on scenic Scottish island set to reopen to the public
The tomb, known as Isbister Chambered Cairn, dates to 3200 BC and was used for 800 years but has been closed since the Covid pandemic After being closed since the Covid pandemic, one of Orkney's most fascinating ancient landmarks is set to reopen to the public thanks to a major funding boost. The Tomb of the Eagles, a Neolithic chambered cairn perched on the dramatic cliffs of South Ronaldsay, is often described as a 'jewel in the crown' of Scotland's rich archaeological heritage. Thought to be around 5,000 years old, the tomb has yielded an extraordinary collection of finds since it was discovered by local farmer Ronald Simison in the 1950s. Around 16,000 human bones from at least 324 individuals were found inside, along with talons and bones from white-tailed sea eagles, giving the site its distinctive name. Later research revealed the eagle remains were placed in the tomb up to 1,000 years after the human burials, suggesting the cairn continued to hold ritual significance for centuries. Analysis of the bones revealed a mix of health and hardship. The people buried there were believed to have lived active, robust lives, but roughly one in five showed signs of violent injuries, likely caused by wooden clubs or stone axes. The tomb, also known as the Isbister Chambered Cairn, dates back to around 3200 BC and was used for burials over a period of 800 years. Visitors previously accessed the site through a low three-metre tunnel, but it has been closed since the Covid pandemic. Now, the community's efforts to bring it back to life have taken a huge leap forward. The South Ronaldsay and Burray Development Trust has secured more than £100,000 in National Lottery funding, just weeks after a separate grant from the Scottish Land Fund. Ruth Owen, chair of the trust, said: 'We are delighted at the award of just over £100,000 to the Development Trust for the purposes of reopening the Tomb of the Eagles. "Not only does this provide essential funding that will bridge the final budget gap required to acquire the site, but importantly it provides the necessary match funding to set up staffing next year, for our first full season. 'This really is the final piece of the funding jigsaw to acquire and re-establish the site, and we can now say with confidence that the Tomb of the Eagles will reopen to the public. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "We would like to thank the National Lottery players and indeed all our funding partners for giving the community this opportunity.' The site has remained in the care of the Simison family, who have worked alongside the trust to realise the vision of community-led ownership and reopening. Freda Norquay of the Simison Partnership added: 'We are so pleased that the Tomb will now reopen and forge its future under community ownership and feel that this is a fitting reflection of the Simison legacy. "It is a way forward that we fully support, and we believe that our parents, Ronnie and Morgan Simison, would have endorsed.'
Western Telegraph
a day ago
- Western Telegraph
Hayscastle Cross housing approved after five-year wait
In an application recommended for approval at the June meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council's planning committee, Mr and Mrs Down sought permission for a hybrid application for the erection of one dwelling, along with outline permission for two more on land east of Ty Gwyn (Y Bwthyn), Hayscastle Cross, near Haverfordwest. The scheme had been brought to committee as it was recommended for approval despite being contrary to the authority's development plan, a sticking point being a small part being outside the settlement boundary. The scheme includes a commuted sum contribution to affordable housing, in the case of Hayscastle Cross set at 10 per cent, of the development value, amounting to £15,262.50. Affordable housing contributions in the county vary from as low as five per cent in Fishguard and Pembroke Dock to as high as 25 per cent in towns like Narberth. Five letters of objection raised concerns including drainage, traffic generation, housing need, flooding and it being a linear development. An officer report concluded: 'The proposal would result in residential development over a small area of the countryside location in conflict with the requirements [of policies]. However, the minimal area of land involved and the ability it provides to facilitate development of the site are material considerations which outweigh the identified policy conflicts.' Speaking at the meeting, agent Andrew Vaughan-Harries of Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd said he was 'shocked at the time' that had passed since the application was first lodged some five years ago. He said the scheme had faced 'a lot of hurdles' since it was submitted, including the Covid-19 pandemic, delays over addressing phosphate concerns and there being a nearby SSSI. He said the scheme, with its £15,000 affordable housing contribution, would 'enhance this little bit of Haycastle Cross'. The application was moved by Cllr Brian Hall, with new committee chair Cllr Mark Carter, whose own ward is nearby, saying: 'This to me, is just a natural progression of the village which has expanded over the years; it's just joining the rest of the row.' The application was unanimously approved by committee members.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Psychic dubbed country's 'Baba Vanga' issues terrifying prediction for 2030
Ryo Tatsuki, a comic artist from Japan, has made many predictions which have come true including the Covid-19 pandemic, leading her to be compared to the Bulgarian mystic Baba Vanga A terrifying prediction has been made by a psychic who has been dubbed Japan's Baba Vanga and it is due to come true in just five years, in 2030. Ryo Tatsuki is a comic artist, who had correctly foreseen deaths including those of Freddie Mercury and Princess Diana as well as natural disasters like the Kobe earthquake in 2011 and health alarms such as the Covid-19 pandemic. She has been compared to Baba Vanga, the famous Bulgarian mystic, whose real name was Vangeliya Pandeva Gushterova, and died at the age of 84 in 1996 having become famous for her clairvoyance. Baba Vanga claimed to have gained her powers during a terrible storm, when she lost her eyesight at 12 years old. And she is believed to have had such strong visions that 85% of them are correct. Now Ms Tatsuki is predicting another deadly virus for 2030 which is similar to that which hit the globe five years ago. In her book, The Future as I See It, published in 1999, the Japanese mystic described an 'unknown virus' in 2020, leading many people to believe she correctly predicted Covid. 'An unknown virus will come in 2020, will disappear after peaking in April, and appear again 10 years later,' she wrote. And worryingly she also believes a horrific virus will 'return in 2030' and cause even 'greater devastation'. It coincides with Covid cases rising currently in India where people have been warned to be vigilant. Meanwhile, holiday bookings have dipped sharply for Japan over another of Ms Tatsuki's predictions. Fear of another big earthquake in Japan has been building for years with the country sitting on a seismic fault line and it is no stranger to tremors. In fact, the country experiences around 1,500 noticeable earthquakes each year, according to the EarthScope Consortium and These earthquakes occur daily, though many are too small to be felt. The most recent major earthquake in Japan was on March 11, 2011 with a 9.0 magnitude force and was predicted by Ms Tatsuki. It caused a massive tsunami that claimed thousands of lives and led to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Given that context, anxiety about a similar event seems understandable. Four years ago Ms Tatsuki published an updated version of her book which predicted another earthquake, this one in July 2025, and it is now affecting tourism it appears. CN Yuen, managing director of WWPKG, a travel agency based in Hong Kong, told CNN that bookings to Japan dropped by half during the Easter holiday. They are expected to dip further in the coming two months. Visitors from China and Hong Kong, which are Japan's second and fourth biggest source of tourists, have dropped significantly. In Thailand and Vietnam posts online warning of earthquake danger have been gaining traction. The impact of her latest prediction is also being felt in South Korea and Taiwan, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. It used ForwardKeys data to gauge the impact on airline bookings and found that average bookings from Hong Kong were down 50% year-on-year. Flights between late June and early July had plummeted by as much as 83%. 'We expected around 80% of the seats to be taken, but actual reservations came to only 40%,' Hiroki Ito, the general manager of the airline's Japan office, told the Asahi Shimbun following the sharp dip in travel over Easter. "The quake speculations are definitely having a negative impact on Japan tourism and it will slow the boom temporarily,' said Eric Zhu, Bloomberg Intelligence's analyst for aviation and defense. "Travelers are taking a risk-adverse approach given the plethora of other short-haul options in the region.'
