According to a new poll, about 1 in 5 Americans say they lost a loved one to COVID-19, as Thursday marked one year since the pandemic.
A survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Research in Public Affairs found that approximately 3 out of ten Americans are still concerned about themselves or a family member infected with the contagious bug.
The survey also shows that the virus further devastated communities of color.
About 30 percent of African Americans and Hispanics say they know a family member or close friend who died from the coronavirus, compared to 15 percent of white people, according to the AP-NORC survey.
When it comes to getting the COVID-19 vaccine, young adults, people without college degrees, and Republicans say they have no plans to do so, according to the survey.
For communities of color, getting vaccinated has also become a struggle.
Sixteen percent of black Americans and 15 percent of Hispanics say they received at least one shot, compared to 26 percent of whites, according to the data.
The new numbers come when the world mourned its loved ones in a year since the spread of the virus was declared a global pandemic.
President Biden praised the victims of the virus during his Thursday speech to the nation.
“A year ago we received a virus that was silenced and spread without control. Denials for days, weeks and months. This led to more deaths, more infections, more stress and more loneliness. The photos and videos from 2019 look like they were taken in another era, ”Biden said.
“You lost your job, you closed your business, facing eviction, homelessness, hunger. A loss of control, perhaps the worst of all, a loss of hope.
Biden also announced that all adults will be able to register for the vaccine before May 1st.
With publishing cables