President Biden has addressed the nation as the US crossed the death toll of 500,000, relating to Covid. The raised figures are the highest numbers of death in any country.
“As a nation, one cannot accept such a severe fate. We have to combat from numb to the sorrow,” he said.
The president and the vice-president with their spouses then observed a moment of silence outside the White House. This was during the candle lighting ceremony.
The confirmed US infections now stand at 28.1 million. The surging number is also a global record.
“Today, I ask all the Americans to remember. Recall those we lost and memorize those we left behind.” said the president asking the nation to fight the Covid unitedly.
How did Biden note the occasion?
All the flags at the federal property are to be lowered to half-mast for the next five days. The president gave the order.
At the White House, he opened his speech by noting that the number of American deaths was higher than the death toll from World War One, the Vietnam War, and World War Two combined.
“Today, we mark a bleak, heartbreaking milestone – 500, 071 dead, he added.
“We often hear people called as ordinary Americans. There is no such thing, and there’s nothing ordinary about them, he went on saying. The people we lost were extraordinary. Moreover, they span generations. Born in American, Emigrated to America. So many of them took their last breaths alone in America, Added president Biden.
Mr Biden’s approach to the pandemic is different from his predecessor, Donald Trump. Trump cast a doubt on the impact of the deadly virus. He also viewed it as having politicized masks’ wearing and other preventive measures to stop the virus’s spread.
On 19 January, one day before Biden took office, he held an event to mark 400,000 dying Americans by Covid.
Monday’s event was on marking the death toll of 500,000, which comes about a month later.
Elsewhere in Washington, the bells at the National Cathedral tolled 500 times. Once for every 1,000 Americans lost during the pandemic.
