“Today, our nation marks another tragic milestone — 900,000 American lives have been lost to COVID-19,” the President said in a written statement released Friday night. “They were beloved mothers and fathers, grandparents, children, brothers and sisters, neighbors, and friends. Each soul is irreplaceable.”
Biden acknowledged the length of the pandemic, saying that “after nearly two years, I know that the emotional, physical, and psychological weight of this pandemic has been incredibly difficult to bear.”
The President, who has been open about his personal experiences in losing family members and dealing with grief, added that he “know(s) what it’s like to stare at an empty chair around the kitchen table” but that he “also know(s) that we carry an incredible capacity within ourselves — not only to come through our grief stronger, but to come together to protect one another.”
Biden urged Americans to get vaccinated and boosted against Covid-19, calling vaccines “our most important tool” in fighting the virus and saying the nation can save lives “if everybody does their part.”
Unvaccinated adults have a 97 times greater risk of dying from Covid-19 than adults who are fully vaccinated and boosted, according to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Covid-19 pandemic remains one of Biden’s biggest challenges a year into his presidency.
