With the United States approaching half a million Covid-19 deaths, plans are underway for President Joe Biden to mark the moment this week.
The president is planning to make comments and hold a candle lighting ceremony at the White House around sunset on Monday if the threshold is crossed, a White House official said.
First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff will also participate.
At least 498,897 people died in the USA of coronavirus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The nation reported more than 28.1 million cases in total.
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 remind people whose lives were lost, families who still are suffering “.
The day before taking office, Biden, Harris and their spouses held a dark ceremony at the National Mall to commemorate the more than 400,000 lives lost to Covid-19. “To heal, we must remember,” said Biden at the time.