President Biden, anticipating the grim milestone of one million American lives lost to Covid on Thursday, said in a statement on Thursday that the United States must remain committed to fighting a virus that has forever changed the country.
As we have more testing, vaccines and treatments than ever before, we must remain vigilant against this epidemic, and do everything we can to save as many lives as possible, he said. It is important that Congress sustain these resources in the coming months. The statement came hours before Biden will convene his second summit on Covid 19 to inject new urgency into the global coronaviruses response. Biden is expected to issue a proclamation on Thursday, ordering flags at the White House and all federal buildings to be flown at half-staff until next Monday to mark the one million deaths.
More than 995,000 deaths of coronaviruses were reported by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States on Wednesday; a New York Times database put the figure at more than 997,000. With heads of state, leaders of philanthropies, and drug makers attending the virtual gathering, Mr. Biden was ready to mark the coming moment.