COVID Survivors bring awareness and honor lives lost to the virus at gathering and vigil

FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST ANDGATHERING FOR AWARENS ES--INCLINUDG TONIGHT HERE INBAKERSFIELD.23ABC'S KRISTIN VARTAN JOINS USLIVE AT THE LIBERTY BELL INDOWNTOWN BAKERSFIELD WITH ARECAP OF TONIGHT'S VIGIL.GOOD EVENING KRISTIN.ALEX, YELLOW IS THE COLOR OFCOVID REMEMBRANCE--DOZENS OF PEOPLE GATHERING HEREAT THE LIBERTY BELL EARLIERTONIGHT, SOME IN THAT E.FAMILIES ALSO BRINGING SIGNS ANDPHOTOS OF THEIR LOVED ONES WHODIED FROM THIS VIRUS.

ACCORDINGTO KERN COUNTYPUBLIC HEALTH'S DASHBOARD, THISVIRUS HAS CLAIMEE THLIVES OF OVER 1400 PEOPLE IN OURCOUNTY ALONE.

AILEEN BROOKS WHOLOST HER FATHER TO COVID-1IN9FEBRUARY, TALKS ABOUT THEIMPORTANCE OF HAVING ADESIGNATED DAY OF REMEMBRANCE,WHEN MANYPEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TOPROPERLY SAY GOODBYE TOTHEIR LOD VEONES."THE PSEEOPLE WERE HUSBANDS,WIVES,FATHERS, MOTHERS, BROTHERS,SISTERS, FRIENDS...AND NOWTHEY'RE ALL GONE.AND THE WAY THEY PASSED, YOUWERE LUCKY IF YOU GOT TO SAYGOODBYTOETHEM AT THEIR HOSPITAL ROOMWINDOW WITH THE USE OF A CELLPHONEOR FACETIM" E.TODAY'S GATHERING ALSO BRINGINGAWARENESS TOCOVID SURVIVORS AND THOSE AMONGTHEM WHO ARE CIDLONG HAULERS.

ACCORDING TO JOHNSHOPKINS MEDICINE TSEHOARE PEOPLE STILL DEALING WITHLINGERING SYMPTOMS OFTHE VIRUS.

THERE WERE BLUEFLOWERS AT THE EVENT TO HONORTHEM.ALSO AT TONIGHT'S EVENT,SURVIVOR ORGANIZATIONSAND MEMBERS OF THE PUBC.LICYNTHIA SANDERS WITH COVIDSURVIVORS FOR CHANGE ALSOLOST HER FATHER TO COVID-19.

SHESAYS THEIR ORGANIZATION ISHOPING TO MAKE THIS AN ANNUALREMEMBNCRAE."IT'S BITTERSWEET TO BE ABLE TOCOMETOGETHER FOR AN EVENT LIKE THIS,TO FIND HEALING WITH STRANGERSWHO ARENOW YOUR BROTHER AND SISTERS INGRF." IEAND AS YOU SAID ALEX, THIS ENTVEIS A PART OF INITIATIVE TANGKIPLACACE ROSS THE NATION, WITHDOZENS OF WHAT COVID SURVIVORSFOR CHANGE ARE SAYING AREMARCHES AND GATHERINGS THATTHEY'RE TRYING TO DO SAFELY.YOU'LL ALSO SEE FROM TONHTIGPEOPLE WEARING MAS.

KSSANDERS SAYING THEY'VE HAD OVER30 MARCHES ACROS20SSTATES.

LIVE IN DOWNTOWNBAKERSFIELD, KRISTIN VARTAN23ABC NEWS CONNECTING YOU.HEALTHCARE WORKERS GATHERED