Covid claims more US lives than World Wars,Vietnam War combined

United States President Joe Biden on Thursday paid his tribute to those who lost their lives in the Covid-19 pandemic and said that the nation witnessed a collective sacrifice. He stated that the US will overcome one of the "toughest and darkest periods" by beating the virus. In his address to the nation Biden said  a year ago, we were hit with a virus that was met with silence and spread unchecked... denials for days, weeks then months which led to more deaths, more stress and loneliness. Biden ordered that all flags on federal properties and military facilities be lowered to half-staff until Friday at sunset to commemorate the dead.

The US President underlined the national spirit and said, "Finding light in the darkness is a very American thing to do, in fact, it may be the most American thing we do, and that's what we have done."  As of now, total deaths in America - 527,726 - that's more deaths than World War I, World War II, Vietnam War and 9/11 combined, Biden said. The President has also said that he wants states to make all US adults eligible for coronavirus vaccinations by May 1, further accelerating the government’s effort to end the pandemic to create a greater sense of normalcy in the country by July 4 Independence Day holiday. Over 29 million Americans have been infected by the virus and more than 500,000 people have died of Covid-19 in the US.

Biden also condemned what he called "vicious hate crimes" committed against Asian Americans since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, calling such acts "un-American" and demanding they stop. Biden  decried "vicious hate crimes against Asian Americans who have been attacked, harassed, blamed and scapegoated" over the pandemic, which originated in China.

Racial motivation is hard to establish in many cases, but reported anti-Asian hate crimes more than doubled from 49 to 122 last year across 16 major US cities including New York and Los Angeles -- even as overall hate crime fell, according to a California State University study. The report looked at events categorized as criminal in nature and showing evidence of ethnic or racial bias, using preliminary local police data.