Gov. Ducey orders flags lowered to honor those lost to COVID-19

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has joined President Joe Biden in ordering the lowering of flags for five days starting Feb. 23 to honor the thousands of lives lost due to COVID-19.

Ducey said in a statement Monday that "every life is precious" and that Arizona was grieving and praying for all the lives lost to the disease.

Arizona’s death toll from the coronavirus passed 15,000 last week while COVID-19 as of Monday had claimed over 500,000 lives nationwide.

Biden late Monday delivered a eulogy at the White House, saying the nation was marking a "grim, heartbreaking milestone" but "will smile again."

"Today we mark a truly grim and horrific milestone," Biden said from the White House. "500,071 dead. That’s more Americans who’ve died in one year in this pandemic than in World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War combined."

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