Elected President Inauguration by Joe Biden will be a solemn event with big names like Lady Gaga, John Legend and Bruce Springsteen among others. But before the big day, the new administration is first holding a ceremony to remember and honor Americans across the country – those killed by COVID-19.
According to the President’s Inaugural Committee, the ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. ET will be showing the first lighting around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC to commemorate lost American lives.
The committee encourages cities and towns across the country to participate in the event by “lighting buildings and ringing church bells at the same time, in a national moment of unity and remembrance”.
As of Friday morning, more than 23 million people in the United States had been diagnosed with COVID-19, with more than 389,000 people dying from the disease, according to Johns Hopkins University.
“The inauguration of President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-Elect Kamala Harris marks the beginning of a new national journey,” said PIC Communications Director Pili Tobar in a statement at the event. “However, in the midst of a pandemic – with so many Americans grieving at the loss of family, friends and neighbors – it is important that we honor those who have died and reflect on one of the most challenging periods in the nation’s history and renew our commitment to come together to end the pandemic and rebuild our nation. “
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The inauguration of Mr. Biden and the elected Vice President Kamala Harris will take place significantly reduced due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In addition, security has tightened as the FBI warns that the Capitol may be attacked again following the deadly riot last weekPresident TrumpSupporter.
While Mr Biden and Harris continue to be sworn in on the Capitol steps, the event is expected to look more like a state of the union speech than the typical grand ceremony with thousands of attendees, officials said.
Typically, the Joint Congress Committee for Opening Ceremonies distributes 200,000 tickets for the ceremony in addition to the ticket packages for Congress members. This year, invitations to Congress members are limited to themselves and one guest.
Officials have stressed that they will adhere to strict health and safety protocols during the event and urged the public to watch the event from their homes in order to limit the further spread of the virus.
