COVID-19 fight far from over as US nears grim milestone of 500K virus-related deaths

ORLANDO, Fla. — State health records show nearly 30,000 Floridians have died from COVID-19 complications. The U.S. is expected to cross 500,000 deaths on Monday.

It’s a stunning number that some thought we’d never see when the country’s first death was reported one year ago.

After a post-holiday drop, 1,700 Americans are still dying every day from COVID-19.

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And since there’s no reliable way to know how many Americans have natural immunity, the goal now is to prevent a final spike.

Eleven months ago, many experts questioned whether Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx’s projections of 100,000 to 240,000 dead with strict distancing were even possible.

By early August, 150,000 Americans had died.

“That’s the reason why we keep insisting to continue with the public health measures,” Fauci said.

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More Americans have died from COVID-19 than chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, Alzheimer’s, flu and pneumonia combined in 2019.

The deaths have led to a full-year drop in Americans’ overall life expectancy and an even greater drop for Hispanic and Black Americans.

It’s those communities some leaders are now trying to specifically target through church partnerships as vaccines roll out.

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Overall, only 5% of Americans have received both doses, but 13% have got at least one dose.

The vaccine is the best defense against the original virus and its quickly spreading mutations.

See the full report in the video above.

Cox Media Group