City of Santa Fe remembers those lost to COVID-19
Mar. 4—The Capital High School Treble Choir did something Monday that was difficult to accomplish at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It sang.
The all-girls choir performed at the Plaza as part of the city's third annual COVID-19 Memorial Day, which memorializes those who have died from COVID-19 and honors the essential workers who helped get the public through the crisis.
The City Council in February 2021 unanimously approved a resolution designating the first Monday of March as COVID-19 Memorial Day "in remembrance of those who have lost their lives and in honor of those who continue to suffer from the impact of this virus."
As of the end of February, 9,006 people had died from COVID-19 in New Mexico, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Santa Fe fared better than some other parts of the state, but was not spared. As of April 2023 402 people had died of COVID-19 in Santa Fe County, according to the most recent mortality data available from the state Department of Public Health.
The first COVID-19 memorial event in 2022 was attended by more than 100 people. Only a smattering were in the Plaza Monday, highlighting just how much the pandemic has diminished in the public consciousness.
Less stringent quarantine guidelines also point to how times have changed since 2020, when people exposed to the virus were required to spend two weeks in isolation with no access to a vaccine or antiviral medications. On Monday the Department of Health said in a news release it aligns with new recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommend people with COVID-19 may return to normal activities if their symptoms have been improving for 24 hours and if they do not have a fever without having taken any fever-reducing medication.
Preventive measures including mask-wearing and increased hygiene are still recommended for the following five days, and the release encouraged New Mexicans to continue to get vaccinated for COVID-19 and influenza.
"By getting vaccinated and following CDC recommendations, we can limit the spread of respiratory viruses and protect our communities," Health Department Chief Medical Officer Dr. Miranda Durham said in a statement.
City Councilor Jamie Cassutt, Councilor Alma Castro and City Manager John Blair were among those present at the noon ceremony, along with police Chief Paul Joye and Fire Department Chief Brian Moya. Mayor Alan Webber was is attending a conference in Washington, D.C., Blair said.
The memorial began with a moment of silence for those who lost their lives, followed by a "moment of noise" to show appreciation for doctors, nurses, first responders and other essential workers who risked their lives to help others during the pandemic.
A fire truck and ambulance parked behind the Plaza stage joined in by blaring their sirens.
Santa Fe Community College spokesman Todd Eric Lovato spoke about the effect of the pandemic on the college's students, many of whom were working parents already struggling to make ends meet.
"The pandemic heightened the awareness of the inequalities in our own communication," he said.
The memorial ended with a performance of four songs by Capital's Treble Choir, including "Where the Light Begins" by Susan LaBarr and "Crowded Table" by the Highwomen.
"It is so nice to be able to sing together again," said Capital High choir director Alicia Dickinson.
During the pandemic Dickinson and her students had to practice wearing masks that make them look "like platypuses" and at the start of the 2022-2023 school she only had one school choir, she said.
However, more students wanted to join and so she put together the Treble Choir, which currently has 13 members.
Dickinson said the group was honored to be asked to perform by the city. The choir has sung at some school events but "to perform for the community was special," she said.
