Yesterday’s news that more than 100,000 people have now died from COVID-19 is a national tragedy.
It’s a milestone that nobody wanted to see us hit. If I’m honest, it’s a milestone I never even imagined for a moment we would reach when all of this started.
It is a terrible reminder of everything we have lost as a nation and the huge sacrifices so many people have had to make.
For that, I am truly sorry.
My heart goes out to all those who have lost loved ones in the most difficult of circumstances and were unable to even come together to remember their lives or to mourn their loss.
We must never be numb to these numbers because behind each of them there is a grieving family.
A mum or dad, grandmother or grandfather, brother or sister, a partner or a friend. It’s an empty chair at the kitchen table.
It is our duty to make sure we never forget those that we have lost.
Just like we remember those who have fought for our country or who lost their lives to other national tragedies, we must vow to remember those who we have lost to this pandemic.
And we owe it to those that are mourning to learn the lessons of what has gone wrong and to build a more resilient, secure future for our country.
That day will come, and it is because of our amazing NHS staff that we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. Millions have already received the vaccine and many millions more will in the weeks ahead.
Every shot in the arm is another step forward to reopening our schools and economy and rebuilding our country.
It is because of our NHS that I have faith this nightmare will end. That we will come through this together.
Before then, we must remember those that we have lost and do our bit to stay at home, protect our NHS and vaccinate Britain.
