President Joe Biden on Friday marked the deaths of 900,000 Americans from COVID-19.
"Today, our nation marks another tragic milestone — 900,000 American lives have been lost to COVID-19," Biden said Friday.
"They were beloved mothers and fathers, grandparents, children, brothers and sisters, neighbors, and friends. Each soul is irreplaceable. We pray for the loved ones they have left behind, and together we keep every family enduring this pain in our hearts."
Biden during his first year in office dealt with two surges of COVID-19.
In his statement, Biden said the nation now has more "tools" to fight the pandemic and "save lives."
"We now have more tools than ever before to save lives and fight this virus — with vaccines remaining our most important tool. Vaccines and boosters have proven incredibly effective and offer the highest level of protection," he said.
"Two hundred and fifty million Americans have stepped up to protect themselves, their families, and their communities by getting at least one shot — and we have saved more than one million American lives as a result."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 80.3% of people aged 5 and up have had at least one dose of the three available COVID vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, and 212.5 million are considered fully vaccinated.
The agency said that almost 90 million Americans have had a booster shot in addition to the primary vaccine doses, including almost 65% of the nation’s senior population aged 62 and over.
Biden in his statement also pushed people to get vaccinated.
"We can save even more lives — and spare countless families from the deepest pain imaginable — if everybody does their part," he said. "I urge all Americans: get vaccinated, get your kids vaccinated, and get your booster shot if you are eligible. It’s free, easy, and effective — and it can save your life, and the lives of those you love."
About 24% of the population has not yet had a dose of the vaccines, according to the CDC.
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