Pic(k) of the Week: White Flags of Georgia's COVID-19 Devastation

White Flags of Georgia's COVID-19 Devastation is a memorial installation illustrating the devastating human and economic cost of the pandemic —and the urgency for local and federal elected officials to act now to meet the real need in our state. These white flags represent the more than 15,000 Georgians who have already lost their lives to COVID-19. Every person we have lost was loved and needed. Please join us to honor those who have died. And take action to urge elected officials to take bold action today. No one should have to plant a single flag more.

The installation was inspired by artist Suzanne Brennan Firstenburg and created by the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization that promotes lasting peace with justice, as a practical expression of faith in action.

— American Friends Service Committee.

First Christian Church of Decatur, City of Decatur, Georgia, USA. 28 February 2021.

The church displayed the flags for two weeks in February 2021. By the end of the month, Georgia's total COVID-19 death toll had risen from 15,000 to 17,376. Since the pandemic began a year ago in February 2020, 514,660 Americans have died nationwide; globally, more than 2.54 million human beings.

Placards displayed at memorial

• 3.9 million Georgians experienced loss of a job or reduced hours last year.
• Many Georgians face eviction and mortgage or rent failure due to pandemic-related economic deprivation.
• 1.7 million public school children [in Georgia] have had their futures disrupted.
• 60% of public school students in Georgia faced food insecurity even before the pandemic.
• In Georgia prisons: 5,011 COVID-19 cases; 92 deaths (including incarcerated people and prison staff).
• No Georgian should die because they don't have access to health care.

-----more-----

• COVID-19 statistics via Johns Hopkins University dashboard.


• On 2 March 2021, Flickr's editors chose this image as one for their Flickr Explore feature.


• Pic(k) of the Week: one in a weekly series of images posted on Saturdays, and occasionally, but not always (as is the case today), with a good fermentable as the subject.
• Photo 10 of 52, for year 2021. See it on Flickr: here.
• Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10 II.
  • Lens: Olympus M.14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II R.
  • Settings: 11 mm | 1/200 | ISO 200 | f/11
  • Peripheral: Olympus WCON-P-01 Wide Converter
• Commercial reproduction requires explicit permission, as per Creative Commons.


• For more from YFGF:
  • Follow on Twitter: @Cizauskas.
  • Like on Facebook: YoursForGoodFermentables.
  • Follow on Flickr: Cizauskas.
  • Follow on Instagram: @tcizauskas.