With the United States approaching half a million deaths from Covid-19, President Joe Biden is planning to mark the moment this week.
The president plans to make comments and hold a candle-burning ceremony at the White House around dusk as early as Monday, if the threshold is crossed, a White House official said.
Also present will be First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Knight Doug Emhoff.
At least 498,897 people have died in the United States from coronavirus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The nation has reported more than 28.1 million total cases.
On Friday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the White House was working on plans for the president to use his own “voice and platform to take a moment to remember people who have lost their lives. life, the families who still suffer. ”
A day before taking office, Biden, Harris and their spouses held a grim ceremony at the National Mall to commemorate the more than 400,000 lives lost against Covid-19. “To heal we have to remember,” Biden said at the time.