As the United States is on the cusp of half a million COVID deaths, plans are underway for President Biden to mark the moment.

Biden is planning to give a speech and hold a candle-lighting ceremony at the White House as soon as today when the threshold is crossed.

First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will also participate. 

At least 498,901 people have died in the US from coronavirus at this writing, according to Johns Hopkins University, the most deaths of any country on earth. The nation has reported over 28 million total cases and the world has seen nearly 2.5 million deaths and over 111 million infections.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the White House was working on plans so the President could use his

“own voice and platform to take a moment to remember the people whose lives have been lost, the families who are still suffering.” 

One day before taking office, Biden, Harris and their spouses held a somber ceremony on the National Mall to commemorate the more than 400,000 dead from COVID.

Biden said at the time,

“To heal we must remember,”

Hard to fathom half a million people dead from COVID? Imagine the populations of both Salt Lake City & Pittsburgh wiped out.
That’s 500,000 people.

(Graphic, Trey Speegle; via CNN)