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A New AR App Honors COVID-19 Dead Ahead Of Día De Los Muertos Celebrations

An array of photos spin upward from a monument
A new AR app honors people killed by COVID-19.
(
Courtesy Marked by Covid
)

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Topline:

There's a new national memorial dedicated to loved ones lost to COVID-19, and it can now be viewed anywhere.

How it works: Images of hundreds of people who have died in the pandemic can be viewed through a lens on Snapchat. The augmented reality, or AR, tool is customized to superimpose the virtual memorial over whatever your camera can see.

Sophia Dominguez with SNAP, INC. explains:

There's lots of photos that kind of spiral leading up to the sky. You tap one of the photos, learn about the person, and their family who submitted their photo to remember their story.

Why now: The AR memorial is a collaboration with the group Marked By Covid and was launched as part of the annual Día de los Muertos celebrations at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Search for Marked By Covid in the app to view the memorial.

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