More than 400 York, Lancaster, Chester residents died from COVID-19. Tell us about them
The pandemic has been filled with loss — for some, more than others. We’ve lost the ability to go out in public comfortably. We’ve lost opportunities to see family members. We’ve lost normalcy.
For some, unfortunately, they’ve lost lives.
More than 22,500 people in York County have gotten the virus, according to data from the state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control. In Lancaster County, nearly 8,000 have had it, and in Chester County, almost 10% of its population has contracted it — or 3,206. Of that, a total of 437 people, as of Wednesday, in the three counties have died from it.
We see numbers like that every day, but with that, we forget: Those are people. They’re not numbers or statistics. They’re someone’s family.
Since March, I’ve reported on mask mandates, spiking case counts, vaccine rollout plans, but there’s one aspect of the pandemic I’d like to better cover — and that’s loss.
I’d like to share the stories of people who are more than a tally on each county’s list of coronavirus-related deaths.
If you’re willing to share, I’d love to hear from readers in York, Lancaster and Chester counties dealing with loss. I’d like to provide a platform for readers to share stories of the loved ones they’ve lost as a result of the virus.
Our idea is to share, each week, a brief essay submitted by a reader about a person they’ve lost to coronavirus. Depending on the number of essays we receive, we’d share each essay individually or as part of a larger story.
Please fill out the form below. Responses and general information submitted through this form may be used as the basis for future reporting. Participants must be the sole author and agree their letters have been submitted for publication without the expectation of being paid.
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This story was originally published January 27, 2021 at 12:38 PM.
