Biden to hold moment of silence for 500K COVID-19 deaths

President Biden will hold a moment of silence Monday evening for the Americans who have died of coronavirus, the White House said.

The nation is expected to surpass 500,000 coronavirus deaths Monday.

“In the evening, the President will deliver remarks on the lives lost to COVID-19 in the Cross Hall. The First Lady, the Vice President, and the Second Gentleman will be in attendance,” the White House said in a press release.

“Then, the President, the First Lady, the Vice President, and the Second Gentleman will hold a moment of silence and candle lighting ceremony at sundown in the South Portico.”

According to data from Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. has confirmed 498,879 deaths as of Sunday evening. Globally, the U.S. has reported the most deaths due to the coronavirus out of any other country. Brazil, the country with the second highest number of coronavirus deaths, has reported roughly half the amount the U.S. has.

The day before his inauguration day, Biden held a lighting ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial to honor those died from COVID-19. Biden has committed to vaccinating at least 100 million people in his first 100 days in office.