'Field of Flags': US honours people who cannot attend Biden's inauguration due to COVID-19

The Presidential inauguration ceremony in the United States is a celebration that draws crowd from the entire nation. However, this year, the event has been scaled down in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. With over 24 million US residents battling lethal coronavirus infection, the President Inauguration committee, on January 19, marked a special gesture to honour those who would not attend the ceremony. In a display named "Field of Flags", the committee set up 191,500 US flags at the National Mall located in Washington DC.

In addendum, they also put 56 pillars of light, each representing the 50 states and territories that constitute the nation. The whole setup was lit on the night of Monday, January 19 in a glinting display of America’s resilience. Images taken on Monday showed the flags carefully placed in rows near the US Capitol, months after a similar flag display honoured the victims who died from coronavirus near the Washington Monument.

The field of the flag is a representative of the Americans who cannot travel to Washington, DC, to attend the inauguration in person due to the pandemic. According to Biden's inaugural committee, the art display signified a "commitment to an inclusive and safe event that everyone can enjoy from their home". According to the latest tally by John Hopkins University, 24,809,841 have been tested positive for COVID-19 while 411,520 have lost their lives. 

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Biden-Harris Inauguration Day

The inauguration of 46th US President-elect Joe Biden is scheduled to take place around 10:00-10:30 PM (IST) or 11:30 AM (ET) on January 20 amid concerns of potentially armed protests across the nation. The historic swearing-in ceremony for Biden and first woman US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be one-of-a-kind with a mixture of virtual and in-person attendees owing to the alarming situation of COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The ceremony, which will be held outside the US Capitol just weeks after the stunning attack by Trump supporters, is also taking place after a chaotic transition with Trump still left to congratulate his successor. The event will feature a message from the US First Lady-elect Jill Biden along with commentary from historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Erica Armstrong Dunbar. The event is reportedly aimed to start around 11 AM local time with national anthem and invocation on January 20. 

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