President Joe Biden.Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty
The U.S. has hit “another tragic milestone,” PresidentJoe Bidensaid Friday, asthe COVID-19 death tollsurpassed 900,000 people.
“900,000 American lives have been lost to COVID-19,” Bidensaid in a statement. “They were beloved mothers and fathers, grandparents, children, brothers and sisters, neighbors, and friends. Each soul is irreplaceable.”
Thejump from 800,000 to 900,000 deathsoccurred over less than two months as the omicron variant took hold of the U.S. Though the variant was milder than past strains, those who were unvaccinated still struggled with the virus, and deaths steadily rose from around 1,500 a day in late November, before omicron hit, to now 2,500 a day.
While states with high vaccination rates like New York, Connecticut and Vermont did not see much of an increase in deaths during omicron,those with lower vaccination rates— Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan — had the highest number of deaths per captia.
In his statement, Biden urged Americans who hadn’t gotten their shots yetto get vaccinated.
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As of Feb. 7, about 75.6% of Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 64.1% are fully vaccinated. Just 42.2% of fully vaccinated people have gotten a booster dose.
A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control showed that unvaccinated people in the U.S. were 53 times more likely to die of COVID-19 compared to those who are vaccinated and boosted.
“We can save even more lives — and spare countless families from the deepest pain imaginable — if everybody does their part,” Biden said.
Biden also acknowledged that the pandemic has been extremely taxing on peoples' mental health, and urged everyone to do their part to bring it to an end.
“After nearly two years, I know that the emotional, physical, and psychological weight of this pandemic has been incredibly difficult to bear. I know what it’s like to stare at an empty chair around the kitchen table,” he said. “But I also know that we carry an incredible capacity within ourselves — not only to come through our grief stronger, but to come together to protect one another.”
As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources fromCDC,WHO, andlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMeto raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere.
source: people.com
