Coronavirus
Biden orders flags at half-staff as U.S. reaches 1 million COVID-19 deaths
May 12, 2022 11:28am
Updated: May 12, 2022 11:30am
President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered flags at half-staff to commemorate the death of one million Americans from COVID-19, marking what he called “a tragic milestone” in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement released on Thursday morning, the president acknowledged the impact the death toll has had on families and urged Americans not to “grow numb to such sorrow.”
"Today, we mark a tragic milestone: one million American lives lost to COVID-19. One million empty chairs around the dinner table. Each an irreplaceable loss. Each leaving behind a family, a community, and a nation forever changed because of this pandemic," Biden wrote. "Jill and I pray for each of them."
Biden also urged Congress to pass legislation funding addition COVID-19 tests, vaccines and treatments.
"We must remain vigilant against this pandemic and do everything we can to save as many lives as possible, as we have with more testing, vaccines, and treatments than ever before," Biden said on Thursday. "It’s critical that Congress sustain these resources in the coming months."
Congress previously reached a $10 billion deal, but additional funding has been delayed over various concerns from both sides of the political aisle.
Later on Thursday, Biden host address the 2nd global COVID-19 summit. According to the White House, roughly 30 countries, international organizations and businesses will participate in the virtual event where the U.S. is expected to reemphasize the importance of universal vaccination. Previously, the U.S. led the world in donating vaccine doses, even pledging to deliver 1.1 billion doses for global use by the end of 2023.
According to a Reuters report, the United States’ COVID-19 death toll hit more than 1 million for the first time since the pandemic started just over two years ago. As the data shows, this figure represents one death for every 327 Americans – and is equivalent to the loss of the entire population of San Francisco or Seattle.
