Biden leads Americans in moment of silence to mourn 500,000 US COVID-19 deaths

WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden led Americans in observing a moment of silence on Monday to commemorate the grim milestone of 500,000 US deaths from COVID-19, urging Americans to set aside partisan differences and fight the pandemic together.

"Today we mark a truly grim, heartbreaking milestone - 500,071 dead. That's more Americans who have died in one year in this pandemic than in World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War combined," he said.

Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff marked a moment of silence at 6:15 pm (2315 GMT) at the White House after the president's remarks.

"As a nation, we can't accept such a cruel fate. While we've been fighting this pandemic for so long, we have to resist becoming numb to sorrow," Biden said in an emotional address at the White House.

Biden also ordered that all flags on federal properties and military facilities be lowered to half-staff for the next five days, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

The president called on Americans to remain vigilant in fighting the pandemic by continuing to wear marks, observe social distancing and receive vaccinations when it was their turn.

"We must end the politics of misinformation that have divided families, communities and the country. It's cost too many lives already," he said. "We have to fight this together as one people, as the United States of America."

About 19 percent of total global coronavirus deaths have occurred in the United States, an outsized figure given that the nation accounts for just 4 percent of the world's population.

Reuters