Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff immediately on all City of Atlanta facilities until further notice, to honor victims of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“Many Atlantans have lost relatives, friends, and cherished community members due to the COVID-19 virus,” said Mayor Bottoms. “We honor the lives of Atlanta residents who fall victim to this virus, and we will continue to do so until the curve is flattened in Georgia.”

Mayor Bottoms called for the order due to the inability of families to plan traditional ceremonies for those whose lives have been lost because of social distancing requirements. The lowering of flags also serves as a reminder to continue to stay at home until COVID-19 cases decrease across Georgia.

“There are so many individuals who are working on our behalf – medical professionals, first responders, and frontline employees – as they put their lives on the line each day to help fight this pandemic,” added Mayor Bottoms. “We pay tribute to you as well as you care for so many others. Working together, we can emerge from this crisis stronger and more resilient than ever before.”

Today’s Order is the latest action taken by Mayor Bottoms to honor individuals dealing with COVID-19 in the city of Atlanta.

On May 6, 2020 Atlanta City Hall was lit up with purple lights in recognition of National Nurses Day, to also pay homage to nurses across our city.