Covid-19: 1 Million Dead and Still Counting

On May 12, the United States reflected on a grim milestone in the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic—to date, over one million individuals have died of Covid-19 in a little over 2 years.

President Joe Biden highlighted the Covid death toll in a proclamation, saying:

"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. Jill and I pray for each of them."

In remembrance of the event, President Biden ordered that federal flags fly at half-staff until sunset on May 16.

As a Nation, we must not grow numb to such sorrow," he continued. "To heal, we must remember. We must remain vigilant against this pandemic and do everything we can to save as many lives as possible. In remembrance, let us draw strength from each other as fellow Americans. For while we have been humbled, we never give up. We can and will do this together as the United States of America."

The American Medical Association (AMA), American Hospital Association (AHA), and American Nurses Association (ANA) also issued a joint statement marking the enormous impact the Covid pandemic has had on the country.

"While we have made great progress against the SARS-CoV-2 virus due to the valiant efforts of health care and public health professionals, aided by vaccines and therapeutics, cases are once again on the rise in much of the country," the AMA, AHA, and ANA wrote. "As we have seen over the past few years, this virus and its variants are very unpredictable, and we must remain vigilant and adaptable in the coming months as the country continues to re-open."

In a prerecorded speech at the Global Covid-19 Summit on May 12, President Biden called on the U.S. and other summit attendees to make new commitments in the ongoing battle against the ever-evolving SARS-CoV-2 virus and outlined a number of steps the U.S. is taking to ensure that it is ready for this health crisis and future crises to come.

To start, Biden announced that the U.S. will share Covid-19 technologies with the rest of the world via the WHO Covid-19 Technology Access Pool—that included access to the stabilized spike protein used in several Covid-19 vaccines. In addition, the White House intends to start a new pilot program aimed at expanding access to rapid testing and antiviral treatments for individuals living in hard-to-reach locations, as well as increase support for the new "Pandemic Preparedness and Global Health Security" fund, which "will be established at the World Bank this summer with $450 million in seed funding."

In their joint statement, the AMA, AHA, and ANA also renewed the call for all eligible U.S. citizens to get vaccinated and boosted "to protect themselves and their loved ones from this disease." They also called on the public to continue to protect individuals who are more vulnerable to the virus by following evidence-based public health precautions—including wearing masks—when recommended or required.

"We can do this," Biden told the Summit. "We can control Covid-19. We can start to build a better, healthier, and more secure future today if we all do our part and if we step up together."